Brood of Felony
by NekoRy
Summary: The Light has been gathering young potentials to be trained for unknown purposes. For years they've been kept secret, silently waiting, gathering skills and intel on their enemies. Now they're ready for action. Oc's, swearing, death, violence, ocxoc, ocxcannon (( SYOC Currently not accepting.))
1. Reunir

**Here's my second go at it. Wish me luck?**

**_Brood of Felony_**

**_Chpter I: _**_**réunir**_

For once the pacific ocean was calm while the Light's newest member tested the surface. While his crew worked in the submerging vessel that held him above the mighty ocean he stood alone admiring the view of Oahu he was currently gifted with. They would be departing soon, he knew, because he trusted his apprentice to get the job done and meet back at the randevou with time to spare. It was a special day, an annual anniversary they shared together. The master-apprentice pair had been visiting the island for years now, long before the Light was on their radar.

The sound of splashing and the light tap of weight hitting metal alerted Black Manta to his right hand jumping aboard. Smiling broadly he removed his helmet and held his arms out for an embrace, something he did with no one else. He patted shoulders and back for any sign of injury in the dark and when satisfied in knowing nothing was wrong he patted the helmet, a smaller version of his own, to signal it should be removed.

Of course the teen villain known as Devil Ray, while with the crew, obeyed her mentor. Devil Ray removed her helmet, auburn hair falling in thick waves to her thighs and shadowing her right eye from view. She breathed in the night and the salt, eyes closed and skin tingling with a sensation she couldn't place. Finally her eyes opened, chestnut irises calm and unfazed, and she scanned the horizon, absorbing every bit of information she could.

Black Manta clapped her back once more, tugging a bit and motioning with his other hand for her to sit with him. They were side by side, so very comfortable with one another's presence. Both humans listened to the ocean as it pushed and pulled at their anchored vessel. Manta hummed a tune, as always, and Ray simply listened. The past eighteen hours had been about relaxing themselves, getting some kind of normalcy they hadn't been allowed for some time, and basically trying to enjoy themselves.

For almost a year Manta and Ray had been separated, allowed to communicate through private lines and holographic messages, but they hadn't been together in a long time. Manta's fingers twitched. He wanted to meet with her so badly in that time, wanted to make sure she was safe for his own reasons. Because despite their work relationship, despite being mentor and apprentice, despite being Devil Ray's superior and trainer, they were first and foremost David Hyde and Temperance Ash; father and daughter.

It was a secret relationship that very few others knew about. Some of the crew, few members of the Light including Klarion(who'd taken the information by force), Savage (whose son had found out almost immediately after first meeting them), and Ra's al Ghul (who somehow knew everything) were privy to such private knowledge.

They weren't blood related, any fool could tell at first glance. Ash had fair skin, long wavy hair the color of a healthy English Oak's tree bark and feeling like silk, and her eyes were the same earthy color. Hyde was dark skinned by heritage, had hair and eyes the color of pure onyx, although age had seeped into his hair with gray, and everything about him from his appearance to his voice was rough from age and experience.

When Manta had stopped his humming both realized his hands had traveled from his knee to the base of Ray's neck where his fingers had, as they always had, found the few strands that stood out from the rest of her hair. The tress was snow white, made even paler from the surrounding hair. The action was intimate. Ray would never let another touch her hair so fondly.

It was then, after the humming and the twirling, that Black Manta knew they should begin a conversation before it was too late.

"Has it truly been a year?" he asked as their precious time together slowly ticked by. "It seems different, doesn't it?"

Ray took the question into consideration for a brief moment before shaking her head no.

"Come now, you must see something differently. The world is constantly changing," Manta hummed, amused.

"The island remains as it was when first we visited. Nothing has changed," she replied with a flat tone in her voice.

Manta clicked his tongue at her, "always so literal, my protege."

"Always so vague, my mentor," Devil Ray shot back immediately.

He chuckled, deep and melodious, eyes closed and head tilted back to watch the dark sky lit only by a perfect, full moon.

For a while they waited for the inevitable to occur, the alert that it was time to go. Every year they had missed the firework show from Schofield barracks because they needed to move out quickly for some reason or another be it a mission or the changing tides. This year was different though. At 11:59 p.m. There was no sirens, no call from the crew, no call from the Light.

This year the darkness was lit up with colors and promises of a new year, a new life. It was beautiful, so beautiful and loud and it left their hearts and skin buzzing with life and uncertainty for what was to come.

This was their first viewing together since their first year together when they paused to watch after Devil Ray's first mission from Ocean Master. It could quite possibly be their last, so for that moment they enjoyed the show. They took in the sights and sounds and enjoyed one another's company. At the end Ash rested her head upon her father's shoulder and breathed in his dark scent, a small smile lighting her features. She hadn't smiled for almost a year.

David Hyde stroked his daughter's spine with a warm hand. He waited a few minutes, until 12:07 a.m. On the dot to kiss the top of her head and whisper the same thing he told her every year at that exact moment.

"Happy birthday, Temperance."

**The first few chapters are short and introductory. Reintroducing everyone to the characters. Tell me if you find any typos or the characters are ooc throughout the storyline.**


	2. مرحبا وداعا و

**So don't expect all chapters to be updated so quickly. I just had short chapters in mind for the introductions and found time to do some of them. My intention is one chapter a day for six or seven chapters then doing it maybe weekly or biweekly. Also I'm typing everything out on my iPad so if I spell something or punctuate wrong I'm sorry. My computer is a huge butt so I'm going off what I remember about the characters and going back and forth between reviews.**

**_Brood of felony_**

**_Chapter II: Hello and Goodbye_**

Samuel paced the length of his bedroom warily. One hand was held in a fist on his hip, clutching at a sheet of paper, while the other scratched at his smooth, square jaw. He sighed deeply, hating how stressed he felt. In all his years of living, however many that was, Samuel had never felt stressed enough to tear his hair out. It was one of his most attractive qualities after all. Still, the growing need was there because he just couldn't decide.

It was Vandal's fault anyway. If he hadn't forced his son into the situation in the first place he could be off somewhere kicking ass; good or bad, innocent or guilty, fragile or armed to the teeth. Wouldn't matter as long as he could make someone bleed.

But no, instead the young Savage was banished to his room, trying to decide which profile was the best suited to him.

He'd long since tossed his brown trench coat and black t-shirt onto the floor and was left with his pale chest exposed. Sure he had weeks, thirteen to be exact, to choose one stupid name but he hadn't bothered with the list. It was a dumb list and a dumb idea.

Sam's phone beeped and he took it in a frustrated grip, almost crushing it.

"Ah," he mused. It was Ash's birthday. They would be meeting up later so he didn't bother with texting her. Instead he went to his recent recipients list and found another name. Dickface.

'its your girlfriends birthday bet you forgot- lord of awesome'

He hit send and chuckled. Baiting that pyro was so easy it really shouldn't be so much fun. Three minutes later he was ever so graced with a polite response.

'fucjyio!- flaming chaos-

Yes, so very polite. Too bad he was so awful with technology or Samuel really might have given a flying fuck... Nope even that wouldn't dare make him give one flying-

"Samuel."

Damnit. Thoughts interrupted by an impatient, expectant old fool. He really needed to move out of his fathers house.

Samuel Savage groaned in response to his father's summon. He grabbed his shirt off the floor and walked out of his room, list discarded on his desk. He could just ignore his responsibilities but his father would not be pleased with him in the least. Whatever, he would just do it. Sure it would be a lot of work and so much time wasted not chasing tail, but at least he could kick someone's ass around for a while.

Vandal Savage sat before him in his favorite chair. Really it was more like a tall velvet throne held together in gold. How droll.

"Father," Samuel addressed the heavily scar-faced man. He eased into a leaning position against the door frame, arms crossed against his broad chest. His fathers 'study' as he called it was decorated in crimson and gold tapestry, oak table ends, animal heads hanging like trophies on the walls, a fireplace behind him giving a dramatic shadowed edge to the room, and bookcases galore full of ancient texts and classical literature of all languages.

"Have you made a decision?" Vandals father asked, a sly smirk playing on his face.

"I don't get why you want me to do this in the first place," Sam said through gritted teeth. They'd had this conversation before but the older Savage had managed to change the subject on all occasions. He wanted a straight answer and judging by his fathers thoughtful expression he might just get one. Maybe.

"It's quite simple," he replied. He thrummed his thick fingers on the armrest of his seat and openly smirked at his son. "L-3 and L-5 are allowing their protégés to participate in the program I developed. I will not allow my own kin to shame me by not doing the same. Do you understand?"

Vandal's tone had grown dark and demanding. Samuel had no room to argues and let his head drop a bit in submission. How embarrassing.

"Yes," Samuel mumbled through gritting teeth.

"I can't hear you, boy," Savage taunted, smirking menacingly.

"Yes sir."

With that said Savage nodded and motioned to the table pushed up against the wall to his son's right. There were candles, books and a mamilla folder on its perfectly glossed surface. He knew what his father was demanding of him. Taking the hint, Samuel dragged his feet over to the table and picked up the folder labeled 'profile O8210149' and flipped it open only to close it mere seconds later.

"She will do nicely," Savage remarked.

That was his cue to leave and he did so silently. Samuel rushed to his romm after closing the door to the study behind him and began packing. He was totally not going to stay in that over indulgent mansion with that old asshole.

He had been given an assignment, indefinitely, so he was going to do it. Without that crackpot's 'assistance.'

Time for Samuel to leave and don the name he had made for himself. Goodbye Savage, hello Scorcher.

**This was actually supposed to go up yesterday or this morning but my iPad was confiscated and I had ukulele/guitar practice today so my bad. Will try to get the next chapter out by my early evening tomorrow. **

**Also, I totally missed all these characters so much. **


	3. Heat Up

_**Brood of Felony**_

_**Chapter III: Heat Up**_

Professor Ivo worked restlessly on the newest update to the gauntlet he'd built almost four years ago. It's programming was too out of date for his taste and it needed to be enlarged for the twelfth time. Examining the shining metal he smirked happily. Sure it had taken him thirty-two hours straight but it was finally done.

Ivo fused the wires back together, tucked them into the side compartment, and closed the lid, locking it from being opened without his say so. Wiping his forehead from perspiration Ivo stood, removing the tungsten glove from its stand with both hands carefully. Meticulously he wiped it down with a soft cloth to remove the smudges he'd caused. Ivo smiled to himself, placed it back on its display platform and called a MONQI to his side.

The metal creature had been a good helper so he pet it affectionately, cooing and praising his creation as well.

"Well that's not creepy at all," he heard an obnoxious teen voice say from behind. Unfortunately he knew just who that was and when he turned, stone faced, to see the owner of the voice he was not surprised to find a taunting toothy grin being directed at him.

"Ah, Kale. Good timing. I've finished calibrating the conflagration stabilizer."

"Do you really have to call her that, Doc?" Kale asked with a moan, entering the lab. He closed the door behind him and approached the display that held his baby. "Ain't there anything cooler we can name 'her?"

"Your pyrokinesis needs to be stabilized and I built her, so I will call her whatever I like!" Ivo scolded the much taller teen.

Sighing Kale blew a strand of untidy brunette hair from his eyes and conceded with a low, "yeah, whatever."

"Now that that's settled try it on," Professor Ivo said, surprisingly in a ver y encouraging tone.

"Whatever you say, Doc," Kale said with a chuckle.

Kale placed his left arm into the massive glove. It was heavy and encased his entire forearm but as he flexed his muscles and it began to tighten he didn't care. He could hear a whirring sound inside and his fingers could move easier. Kale looked around the room for his target. There were unfinished experiments the scientist had been working on and MONQUIs all over the place. Ivo wouldn't like them being destroyed. Finally he found a large block of some kind of metal off to one wall and looked over at Ivo who nodded.

Taking that as his sign to go ahead Kale raised his left arm and grinned cockily, tilting his head just a bit. His eyes, already a shade of deep mocha, darkened sinisterly. Licking his lips Kale let loose a ball of green flames from his hand. It engulfed the material before him. After a few seconds when the flames died down his smirk was replaced with a twisted frown. The stupid thing had no surface damage whatsoever.

"What the fuck, Ivo?!" he screeched.

"Thats titanium," Ivo informed him, grinning mercilessly. "You're going to have to get a lot hotter to do any kind of damage to that."

"Tch. Challenge accepted," Kale scoffed.

Both villains were unaware of the bald billionaire who entered the room from the floor above them.

"Maybe I should remove this thing before I hurt it," Kale teased.

"Doubtful," Ivo said dryly, "just shut up and heat up already."

Kale just rolled his eyes and removed his purple jacket. No way he was gonna burn that up. He had to focus now, concentrate on heating up his core. That's what Killer Frost had taught him. She had to cool down the core but as he learned it was the same principal. He could feel it, the heat gathering, pooling in his body beginning in his abdomen. It spread into his limbs, up his neck, clenching his heart and finally with nowhere else to go it burst to the surface. Emerald flames seeped from his pores and coated his skin until no inch of his human body could be seen.

This is Kale at his strongest, at his most confident state of mind. When he's able to kill and burn with just a touch. So fun and so very destructible.

Kale blinked and brought both hands up to his face, both flame engulfed arms. He smirked to himself and noticed how the flames pushed him into the air. He could practically hear himself crackle dangerously and loved every bit of it.

The pyro levitated over to the slab and shook his head,"too bad for you."

Heating up his flames, Kale aimed his hands, palms open at his enemy. The moment he released it he felt drunk with power, his body of flames growing and getting hotter by the second.

Yes. Yes. Yes. He screamed in his head.

He had a goal in mind. Not just to melt the titanium but to reach a new level. One he hadn't been able to since before Killer Frost had been sent to Belle Reve. The Amethyst Flames, or at least that's what he named them.

His body had heated up so much at one point during training against Samuel due to his furious mood swing that his flames had turned purple.

By the time he grew tired the metal had barely melted and there wasn't even the slightest sign of a separate hue. Kale clicked his tongue and shook his head while powering down.

Clapping hands caught his attention the moment he touched back down, naked as a newborn. Ivo and Kale turned to find the intruder.

"Lex," Ivo greeted happily. Luther did pay for his scientific ventures after all.

"Professor, Kale, what a wonderful demonstration," Luthor chimed happily.

"Luthor," Kale greeted begrudgingly. He wasn't fooled like the rest of the world. Luthor was a con man, a rich sadistic ass. If he were just any other sociopathic sadist maybe they could get along, but Luthor pretended to be a polite wealthy businessman and that did not sit well with the pyro. He preferred his crazy out in the open where he could breathe it all in and feed off of it to fuel his own insanity.

Ivo ribbed him with an elbow and tossed his jacket.

"Don't be so cross Kale, I've brought you a gift," Luthor informed the lad. He smiled that fake smile of his while a MONQI brought over a highly armored briefcase.

"Should I expect an explosion?" he asked warily.

"I don't know, should you?" Luthor shot back knowingly.

Kale shrugged his jacket on, covering most of his body, and took the metallic case. He placed it on a table next to him, ready to heat up something did happen, and opened it quickly. There was no boom, no explosion. Just... Leather...

"Is this-"

"Yes, it's Killer Frost's design. She drew up a sketch and I simply executed the idea."

The fabric under Kale's fingertips was not leather but something else entirely. It gave off the same shine as cow hide but it was a denser material, something he couldn't place. As a test he heated up his fists but the material never burned up.

"It's designed to take your heat so you won't end up so," Luthor paused and gestured at Kale's state of dress. "Nude."

"Too bad," Kale mused. "That's how I usually get the ladies."

"Indeed," Ivo smirked.

"In any case, I hope it's to your liking, but I must be on my way. Ta."

With that the door behind Luthor opened, his right hand Mercy standing on the opposite side waiting for her employer.

"Well now that that's over shouldn't you be heading for Gotham?" Ivo asked, turning his back to Kale in favor of some doohickey or whatnot.

"

Yeah I just stopped by to check on the confla- the confla- the god damn glove thing!" he shouted while pulling the long hooded coat onto his lithe form and zipping it shut. Thankfully it came with matching pants, boxers and boots or he'd be streaking through Gotham. He pulled on a pair of black gloves that he usually had in his jacket pocket and cracked his neck, ready to leave.

"Don't wait up for me, Doc. I've got a clown to go see," Kale shouted over his shoulder.

**Ok now that those three are done its time for the three original ocs to come back in their debut chapters. Are you guys liking this version better? Because if not well... I dunno lol**

**Theres a reason some chapter titles are, and will be, in a different language.**


	4. Sanguis et Incendent

**_Brood of Felony_**

**_Chapter VI: Blood and Burn_**

Blood. Blood. Blood.

It was splattered all over the great castles courtyard. On the trees, the grass, even on the bailey walls. It ran down the stone walkway like a trickling red river, the bodies hanging in mid air all over the clearing of this old and wise civilization. The killer stepped out from the pair of double doors, fully satisfied with the life he drained and the secrets he stole. Behind him the castle was set ablaze, crimson flames licking at old stone and bringing it down hard.

Heavily cloaked in black, all features hidden, the young magi waved his hand at the stone beneath his feet. The blood rose from the surface, parting like the red sea to let him cross through the courtyard and the town.

Bodies dropped, human and animal, tainting the grass with corpses and the innards falling out of them. The roar of a creature still fighting for its life cut through the nights air. It's final roar trying to earn mercy but not succeeding in the slightest.

A smirk appeared on the magi's thin lips, pale from the cold but still so accomplished.

"Nepo a latrop ot eht rehto edis!" he commanded. His voice, although spoken in a low, demanding tone, was young and definitely a lot higher usually. Beneath his feet a black smoke emerged, swirling around his feet before encasing his body and teleporting him to the Brazilian rain forest in his own time over three hundred years later.

It was daytime and the suns rays lit the ground in thin streams through the canopy. And damn was it cloaked figure removed his cover with one hand in a grand sweeping gesture.

He was too young to know the evils of this world, but he definitely knew them. At 10 years old Kure Major was one of the evils of the world. He raked a hand through his jet black hair, damp from perspiration, and opened his narrowed ocean blue eyes. Time to move on. But first-

Kure pulled a golden pendant from his pants pocket. The symbol of the sun shined brightly even in the darkly lit forest. He smirked the way a grown man would and pocketed it once more.

"Laever eht yps," he chanted in hushed tones.

The forest shifted before his eyes and he furrowed his brows in concentration. Two figures stood before him. He'd sensed one, the female, but not the other. He figured he'd been followed by the villagers he left alive a few hours ago, because really he needed to find the way to Camelot and they wouldn't tell him until after he massacred half the village so it was there own fault. Instead he found a brunette teenager dressed like a wannabe spy and some circus freak in a suit with stupid hair petting a pussy cat.

"This is who you're after? He's just a bratty kid," the taller male whined loudly, his voice raspy.

"You can sense his power, Klarion. I know you can," the girl beside him answered back. Her voice was slightly less teeth-grinding.

Kure took a step back, wary of the trespassers and began to recite a spell backwards.

"SILENCE FOOL!" Klarion demanded. He threw one hand, his petting hand, out. Vermillion energy shot out of his fingertips and wrapped around Kure's mouth, arms, wrists, legs and ankles. It singed his skin and the freak chuckled, "now that's how you cast a spell, right Teekl?"

The orange feline answered with a purr and a mew.

"Ok, go do your thing, little Manta," the other caster said with a sickening grin.

How the hell was Kure unable to break free of his binds. He as a master at his craft already and was physically faster and stronger than anyone else his age. Still no matter how he struggled he could not break free and the girl was approaching him in quick strides. She kneeled before him, grabbed both his shoulders and sat him up.

"I am Ash," she introduced herself. "My accomplice is Klarion. He is a Lord of Chaos. Anything you think you can do he will most certainly be able to defend against and strike back twice as hard."

"I am The Lord of Chaos. Get it right," he interrupted.

"All I wish to do is talk with you, Kure Major. I will leave once we have your answer," she continued, ignoring the male Kure now recognized who was now floating behind her. Weirdo.

Ash removed the tight strip of red from over his mouth and stared directly into Kure's eyes. He made a note that they seemed empty, void of any emotion positive or negative.

"Your name has come up in many of our investigations. Thievery, murder, attempted necromancy, curses, and so much more," Ash prattled on. Kure was bored already.

"So you're here for revenge are you?" Kure rolled his eyes at the list of former misdemeanors.

"Revenge doesn't interest me in the slightest." something inside him knew she wasn't just spouting nonsense. She was telling the truth.

"I like revenge," the Lord of Chaos chimed in.

"I'm here to offer you a proposition," Ash said. She leaned him against a rather large tree root and began to strip the energy from his limbs.

"I highly doubt that whatever you're about to offer me will strike any interest," Kure said with malice. "In case you're uninformed I don't need money, I take what I want, and I am the best at what I do. I don't need anything from the likes of a worthless wench who needs a Lord of Chaos to defend her."

"I don't know if i want to kill him or kiss him," Klarion hummed and floated upright, legs crossed.

"Pedophile," Kure whispered with a glare.

"Ok I want him dead," Klarion seethed, dropping Teekl onto Ash's back. His hands lit up with burning magic. When Ash looked back at him and grasped his leg in her left hand he calmed. Klarion crossed his arms and blew a puff of visible black smoke from his mouth. "Fine. Just get on with it. By the way kid, if I were a weak little snot like you I'd take the offer. She could kick your ass back to Camelot."

So he knew.

"What Klarion means is that I can offer you something."

"And what would that be?" Kure was standing now, watching his assailant carefully.

"A position."

Kure raised a thin black brow and crossed his arms.

"You see, my colleagues and I are beginning a training program for younger, equally nefarious minds. You have been on our watch list for a long time. Klarion here has been sent to kill you if I do not bring you back with me," Ash explained.

"Yeah and by kill she means toy with, then kill," Klarion oh so helpfully sneered.

A Fully realized Lord of Chaos would surely destroy him. Sure, he was an expert Magi, but that didn't make him invincible. Klarion didn't need to chant backwards like he did; two words and Kure had been dead. He didn't fancy being in pain or dying at the age of 10, before his end goal was completed.

What could he say to make these two leave him be...

"If you'd like we could settle things now," Ah sighed. She removed her body armor and was left in thin black under armor. She gracefully fell into a defensive position, palms out and ready for any strike to her head or torso.

"You want to fight a 10 year-old, seriously?" Kure responded. He shrugged and shook his head.

"No, I want to test a 10 year-old," she corrected him "Unless you're afraid I'll snap your neck."

It was an obvious taunt, one that shouldn't have affected him as much as it did. But he forced his body into an aggressive Tiger style stance.

They circled one another while Klarion remained in the air. A sickening smile grew on his already twisted face.

Kure through the first move, striking at her as swiftly as possible, not as hard. It was a test. She was quick, quicker than he, but her limbs were thin. If he hit her with the right amount of force accurately then she would fall before him. He was small and clever, she as underestimating him like every other foe before her. Child's play.

The Magi struck out again, hands small and shaped like claws, a diversion for the kick he sent toward her calf, where he would shatter bone. He wasn't expecting her to grab his wrists so harshly or use that as leverage to flip over him with his own momentum. She avoided the kick easily and placed a hand on his neck, harshly squeezing.

"You lose," Ash whispered into Kure's ear. He could hear crackling, saw a blue light, felt a painful pinching on his neck and fell to the ground.

The last thing Kure Major heard before blacking out was the sound of Klarion's obnoxious raspy cackling.

**Since I missed my deadline I'm shooting for two chaps today, plus this one is longer than usual, which I knew it would be. I got off work early today thankfully. Kept stalling and going back to change things and pming. Still not fully satisfied with it but oh well. Obsidian is up next**

**Hey umm... I dunno if you guys think about what your characters sound like but I do. I have voices picked out in my head so if you wanna know I'm gonna post that up on my profile. Tell me how dumb I am haha**

**Just so you all know olive in Hawaii so I'm probably behind you guys time-wise so next chapter is going to be out my tonight.**


	5. 選択肢

_**Brood of Felony**_

_**Chapter V: Choices**_

Target is in sight," Shade whispered into her comm as quietly as possible. "Moving out. Meet back at the randevous. Shade out."

"Affirmative," Cheshire replied from her lax position in the trees fifty meters away from her current partners position. "Cheshire out."

Shade and Cheshire had been paired together for the third time in one month. It seemed like Shade had been doing all the work in these assassinations though. Cheshire was observing her, or so she assumed. To see if she could kill? If she would kill? She was fully capable of it, though she didn't prefer it. Which was why she left an untraceable poison in her targets system. Made it seem like a heart attack. And no one would know. Three wealthy scum bags in three different countries; no one would possibly connect them and assume assassination.

This last one was younger though, had children. Shade could sense the eyes upon her. Not just Cheshire's but Ra's and Sensei as well. She couldn't let Sensei down.

So she killed him. In the dead of night she snuck pass his guards and security system. It was easy when you could change your molecular makeup and become a shadow yourself, which she could. More like a mist really. She made no sound at all, woke no one. She was in and out and left no trace behind aside from the old Japanese businessman that lay dead beside his sixth wife, who he beat. He deserved a death far worse than that.

When she made it back to the randevous point, a cliff a mile away, Cheshire had just gotten off her communicator. She smirked in Shade's direction but stayed uncharacteristically silent while they got into the jet and headed back to the temple to report to Sensei.

"Maxine," Sensei greeted. He inclined into a slight bow while she got to her knees into a full bow to show her respect.

"I have completed the mission, Sensei," Shade dutifully stated.

"I had no doubt that you would. Your skills at stealth are unrivaled," Sensei praised.

Max nodded. She stood and removed the black hood. Her hair, she just knew, was standing up even more than usual from the dried sweat under her hood. Before she could leave to wash up Sensei placed an arm on her shoulder and gestured for her to enter the sliding door to her left, his right.

"Someone has come to see you. I'd like you to hear what he has to say before deciding what to say," Sensei said softly. He guided her toward the white shoji. "Understand?"

"Of course, Sensei."

She didn't ask questions. One never asks questions under Sensei's rule.

The door slid open and Max was inside in a matter of seconds. This room was used for small conferences. There was only a short table with a teapot and cups on it and pillows, two to each side, eight in total.

A young man, not very much older than herself, sat at the head of the table sipping tea. He made a face, probably not very fond of the taste, and continued drinking.

Max waited to sit, because that was the rule. He looked up at her, scarlet irises glimmering playfully, and motioned his hand for her to sit across from him.

"So, you're Maxine Babbot," he drawled.

How does he know that name? Unless Sensei told him...

"I was told you and I look alike. Had to come see for myself," the boy grinned, fangs bared.

He was obviously joking. Aside from the black color of their hair they had nothing in common. Max frowned deeply.

"I was obviously joking," he said unnecessarily. "I'm far more attractive."

Max shook her head in disbelief. She noticed how he sized her up. It wasn't one of those flirting techniques, no, he was observing how she sat and moved. Probably had been from the moment she walked in. He meant business.

"Relax. You can speak your mind in here. I'm not here to kill you or anything," he said with a smirk.

"Then why are you here?" she asked indignantly. She didn't appreciate feeling like she was on display.

"Down to business, that's fine. My name is Samuel Savage. Just Sam is fine."

Max arched a suspicious brow. Savage? Like Vandal Savage?

"You probably already know my father."

"Is that why you're hear? Does he require my," she paused, thinking of how to phrase it, "talents?"

Samuel laughed outright. He banged a fist onto the table and almost knocked over the fine tea set. Max caught it in her gloved fingers expertly. He silenced himself and nodded at that.

"So you're quick as well?" he observed. He wasn't expecting an answer. "And I hear you're an excellent hacker. No mainframe you can't get into, right?"

She nodded.

"Alright then, I'd like to ask you a question if you don't mind," he said. He waited for her nod of confirmation.

"Sensei says I should hear you out."

"Always listen to what Sensei says?"

"Is that your question?" she was becoming frustrated already.

"Nope. Rhetorical."

"Then get on with it," she demanded softly. It wasn't like her to lose her cool so quickly, or at all.

"And here I was told you were diamond. You're more like obsidian," Samuel suggested obscurely.

"Excuse me," she said through gritting teeth.

"You know, diamond, toughest mineral, unbreakable. Obsidian, hard and brittle," Sam teased.

"Are you ever going to get to the point," Max outright groaned.

"So temperamental," Samuel chided. "But fine, here it is plain and simple. I want you."

"Not interested," Maxine dead panned.

"I'm not finished yet so shut up. I want you on my team," Samuel continued. "You've heard of the Light by now, yes? Ra's and Sensei must have muttered about it in hushed tones and you picked up with those well trained ears of yours. Don't speak, just nod."

This time his voice was different. He was stating a proclamation instead of toying with her and she felt obligated to listen, so she nodded.

"The Justice League set up some team for their sidekicks, we call them YJ:Young Justice. Now our higher ups are calling forth the services of the younger generation, those with, how shall I say this, specific talents?" he quoted from her. "Long story short there was a lot of names and you made it on the short list. Now you may speak."

Max remained silent for a while. She had to think things through. At first it had seemed like a joke or perhaps Sensei and Ra's were testing her but the teen across from her had a grave expression and while she didn't trust him she felt inclined to believe him. But she had to make sure. Her eyes focused on his forehead and the pulse at his neck to find if he was lying.

"Why me?"

"You have specific skills that we're interested in. Plus the whole turning into smoke thing, kinda cool," he said with a grin.

"I'm perfectly fine right where I am, what makes you think I'll join you?" It was a lightly veiled challenge. If she was ever going to join someone else then she needed to know what the benefits were.

Savage stood and wrapped a large, brown yukata over his shoulders.

"Listen, I'm not gonna force you to come with me, but there is something I think might interest you."

Max waited for his huge selling point.

"Freedom."

"I'm free here-"

"I don't mean Free to choose your next target or free to go outside every once in a while. I mean free to travel the world, to relax and just be for a while."

"Free to be what?" she wondered out loud.

Savage just smiled and shrugged, "to be whatever you want. Not just the assassin your father trained, but the girl your mother raised."

Clenching her jaw Max watched as he walked away. He couldn't possibly know about her past, few people did. But he seemed so relaxed talking about, like he knew exactly which strings to pluck. He was totally playing her. And it may have been working.

"Think it over, or don't. But just remember, Sensei can only do so much for you. I should know. The whole not speaking my mind thing killed me when I was his apprentice," Savage shuddered at that.

"You trained under Sensei?"

"Indeed. But I prefer to fight dirty, he's all about the honor and whatever. I like to just cut loose, although I'm told that's an awful idea."

"It is an awful idea," Max mumbled. Was she really thinking about leaving? Japan had been her home for years now. No not home, training grounds.

"Max," Savage called. His voice was soft, sympathetic after all that."Don't live in their shadows."

"I don't understand." her brows furrowed.

"Don't live in their shadows," he repeated. "My team is meeting in India. At the southern edge of the Thar Desert. If you decide you'd like to carve your own path that is."

With that he turned his back on her and slid open the Shoji.

"I won't be joining you," Max replied. Her voice faltered. Damn.

"Well, just in case you do," he trailed off and closed the door, leaving Max alone and confused. She stayed there for a while, pondering her options before Cheshire walked in without knocking.

"I see you declined his offer," the older assassin observed. "Bad choice."

"Why do you say that?" sure Cheshire wasn't her most reliable accomplice but as she learned recently did have some human-like traits. Sometimes.

"Being sprinkled with blood isn't exactly the best fodder for a flower to bloom in," Cheshire drawled knowingly while stretching her flexible body. She always had that all-knowing tone in her voice. What a nuisance.

"Stop fooling around, Jade. Cut to the chase already," Max said with a sigh.

Cheshire halted in her movements, one leg held straight up in the air by both her hands and toes pointed up at the ceiling. She sighed and lowered her leg to stand upright and crossed her arms.

"Alright then let's see if I can get this through that thick skull of yours," Cheshire said with a grin. "You were born into the Shadows, I chose the Shadows. Your future here is planned out for you, I can do whatever I like. Point is, your families Legacy is what holds you here. I escaped mine."

Max rolled her eyes and poured herself some tea.

"Your father is constantly here pestering you."

"Point taken. I still think you should go," Cheshire shrugged and sat as well. She poured a cup of tea for herself and sipped at it.

"What's the matter, Chesh? Afraid Of competition?"

"Hardly," Cheshire chuckled. "But maybe if you go out and actually do something with yourself you will be. Alright, inspirational speech over, do what you like."

Cheshire got up and left, leaving her mess behind as usual.

"I always do."

"Also," Jade stuck her head back into the room. "I like Obsidian."

"Excuse me?" Max tilted her head and gave Cheshire a sour expression.

"What Savage said about diamond and obsidian. Has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

Being offered a position with the Light, weird. Cheshire trying to help, straight up mythicalogically impossible.

**Gosh I'm sorry guys. I was almost done with the chapter and I just crashed. I've been really tired recently.**


	6. Smoking Gun

_**Brood of Felony**_

_**Chapter VI: Smoking Gun**_

The snow in Gotham had come late. It began that night on January first, just after the fireworks, and had finally relieved Gotham of its green Christmas. The civilians were be full of joy and wonder for the New Year but the true Gothamites, the ones who wore a mask by day and shed it to cloak themselves in the darkness could feel the shifting in the air. Despite the bright show over the Gotham Bay horizon, they were full of dread and dampened spirits. There were very few in the city who could really feel the night.

Gacy was one of the few true blooded Gothamites. For once in her life she walked along the streets of her hometown, a fur-lined hood pulled overhead. Her short blonde hair poked through, seeing as she had just thrown the coat on on her way out of the warehouse she'd been living in with her parents.

They'd been fighting again. Her father had recently gotten out of Arkham and decided to go on a rampage. He was planning something big and for once Gacy didn't want to know what it was. Everything was so messed up and she just didn't know how to fix it. She wanted to run, run and never look back. Because looking back would always mean going back.

Who was she fooling; Gacy would always go back to Harley and Joker. She could never get away. He would find her, she knew.

Lost in thought Gacy hadn't realized she was walking right through Crime Alley, or that a few thugs had been following her for three blocks. The moment she looked up at the wall of a dead end she sighed and turned around, finding the imposing men creeping out on her.

"Look what we have here," the one in the middle said.

"She looks like fun," the one on the left uttered.

"Really guys? In Crime Alley? Way to stick to stereotypes," Gacy said with a sigh. How typical.

All three began removing knives from their pockets and grinned menacingly.

"You guys don't really wanna do this, do you? I mean, I'm sixteen and the law clearly states-"

"Get her!"

The trio of goons charged. Gacy, now a little ticked off, flipped over them, shedding her coat and leaving her in the costume she used on nights full of Bat hunting.

"You guys messed with the wrong clown." Gacy pulled her domino mask from the ruffled neck of her bi-colored checkered suit, placed it over her eyes where a bright purple shiner marred her features and removed a comically large gun from the same area. "And you caught me at a bad time."

Gunfire went off but Gacy, now turned Jester, never pulled the trigger. Three sweaty losers fell to their knees, clutching their torsos. Crimson blood stained the back of their shirts and coats around the bullet-sized holes.

"What a bunch of nasty fuckers, going after an underage chick," a deep voice drawled from the fire escape ladder above the four people in the alley.

Jester stood shell-shocked in the alley, staring at the groaning assholes. She heard the click of a zippo, saw a brief light from her peripheral vision, and heard then inhale and exhale of whoever had just helped her out.

"I tell ya," the voice from above began before inhaling once more. "There's nothing better than a cigarette after a good kill. Well except a cigarette after a good fuck."

"They aren't dead," Jester observed aloud.

"Yeah, that's your job."

A thud resonated off the walls a few feet away from Jester. She looked up, sea green eyes widening. Before her stood a man who could easily blend into the Gotham vigilante scene. He was dressed head-to-toe in black, his hood shielding his facial features. His cigarette momentarily gave light to his face. Brown hair fell into dark eyes.

"Who are you?" Jester wondered aloud. The question just came out without her thinking about it.

"Names Kale, call me Chaos. And you're Gacy, right?"

"I-"

"You don't need to answer that," he continued.

This "Chaos" person began walking closer and Gacy backed up. He kicked one of the men in the side and earned a painful groan. He smirked at that and blew smoke into another guys face making him cough.

"I see the Joker did a number on your eye," he observed, taking Gacy's chin in his hand and turning it so he could see the bruise creeping out from under her mask. "Weak women disgust me."

Chaos scoffed and released her chin.

"I'm not weak," Jester whimpered.

"Right," he laughed.

"I'm not!" she repeated, voice wavering.

"From where I'm standing yeah, you are. You can't even stand up to your own dad."

"You-you don't-"

"I mean me, I just killed mine. Although I guess to be fair he was my step-dad," Chaos chuckled at that. "But you, you just stay here and take it. Not hot."

"How do you even-I mean how are you-I don't-"Jester groaned and pointed her gun at him, ready to pull the trigger. "Why did you help me? I didn't need it."

"True, but I like to make guys bend over in pain. It's the fun part of my job," Chaos said with a smirk. He paid no attention to the girl with the gun and bent down to examine one of the men. With one gloved hand he raked his fingers through one of the men's hair and gripped it painfully. "This little girl is gonna kill you pretty soon, 'kay? So just hold on a bit longer."

The smirking teen stood up and rolled his shoulder.

"Why do you want me to kill them?" Jester asked. "You could do it yourself."

"Because when you're done, you're going to come with me," Chaos said with a nod.

Jester tilted her head. Her body tensed.

"And then you're going to learn to defend yourself properly," Chaos continued on. "See, your pops was put in jail 'cuz those JL jackasses. A few of us are kinda getting together and forming a much smaller group to get some payback. It's gonna be one hell of a good time."

"So…" Jester took her finger off the trigger. She let it rest in her unclenched hand at her hip. She mulled over what the mystery boy just said. Being away from her wonderful mother and in a group full of psychos like him? There really was only one answer for such a crazy proposal such as that and Gacy needn't think on it a moment longer.

Gacy gave him a toothy grin and pulled the trigger three times, shooting her three assailants square in the head and silencing them forever. Lowering the smoking barrel, she felt the tight feeling in her chest replace itself with a firm resolve.

"When do I start?"

Chaos returned the grin and shrugged the pure white snow from his shoulder. He began walking out of the alley, beckoning his new acquaintance to follow him. Looking around they found the streets devoid of any life. At last he lowered his hood. Brown hair was mussed from the hood and wild like his personality.

"Tonight, meet me at the docks. Don't talk yourself out of it, just get some of your shit and haul ass, got it?"

Gacy nodded, turned tail and ran back to her old home. An adventure, that's what she needed, what her body and soul craved. This was what Gacy had been blindly searching for. She didn't even know where she was going, if this guy was telling the truth or not, but she threw all her worries to the cold night air.

Sure, leaving home at sixteen was a big step, but it was her big step. The first choice she made on her own and she felt good. She felt damn good about this, and Gacy had learned early on to trust in her instincts.

No longer was she Gacy Lee Napier, daughter to Joker and Harley Quinn. Now she was Jester: Villain Extraordinaire!

BREAK

Across the street from the alley he'd exited Chaos could sense a pair of eyes. He looked up and cracked his neck.

"Yeah, I've heard of you too," he said around his second cigarette of the night. "You're time will come, just not tonight."

In the unlit alley a young girl stood, face red from the cold. She'd stumbled upon the scene and hid to find out what would happen. She pulled her winged helmet over her platinum blond hair and backed up into the stone building. The younger teen across the street headed back down the alley and disappeared into the shadows. She followed suit a moment later wondering what had just transpired.

**Chapter six marks a record broken for me. So far this is the longest story I've ever written so I'm gonna celebrate with umm… something? I dunno wine maybe? Eww I hate wine. Anyway, just in case you were wondering, yes Malice, that is Freyja at the end. I couldn't resist.**

**Does anyone know a good beta?**

**As for the next chapter it will be out as soon as possible and I already have some fun stuff planned for the new recruits and their mentors. Whats that? You want a spoiler? Well okay! But really short.**

**Kale arched a brow. Jester really needed to toughen up or guys much bigger than a fucking ten year-old brat would be knocking her on her ass.**

**Sam outright laughed while he slung his arm around his best friends shoulder. Ash had gotten taller and he hadn't failed to notice how she filled out from the year he hadn't seen her. Too bad she was off limits.**

"**Ok, so if that's all the introductions we're doing can we just go nap now? I think you and I should go rest up in my room and we could do full cavity searches. I haven't been able to get it up for a while now."**

**Ash tilted her head, still not comprehending why in the world Savage made passes at her when he would never fulfill them. She didn't particularly want to be with her oldest friend but it still puzzled her.**

"**I fail to see why you're impotence should concern me."**

**Ash was perched on the catwalk above the training room. Savage, who was the oldest of the trio, had been running basic offensive drills with his new protégé. They seemed to be warming up to one another just fine. They must have found something to bond over. On the other side of the room Kale and his acrobat focused on defense. Those two fit perfectly, like a rainbow puzzle, everything was so different but so similar.**

**Kure sat beside her, studying the ancient tome Klarion had given him. Both remained silent having had their workout before their other four housemates arrived. It was rather nice. Ash almost felt something in that moment.**

**They had one year to prepare, no longer. **


	7. Midnight Snack

**_Brood of Felony_  
**

**_Chapter VII: Midnight Snack_**

**THAR DESERT  
JANUARY 2, 0214 IST**

When Sam arrived at the first base, dubbed _Genesis_ by his father, he was beat. Technically he hadn't done any laborious work but that was precisely the problem. Flying the je he'd been assigned with no one to talk to or fight with like he usually had left him with nothing to do but think, and that was probably the last thing he should have been doing for the past ten hours.

Being the son of Vandal Savage had its upsides but unfortunately it came with downsides as well. Failure was inexcusable, being last was unthinkable and disobeying was not allowed. Every action came with a consequence and he'd learned them all, had plenty of time to.

Now, now when he finally thought he could escape, had the briefest sign of hope, it had been crushed. He was weighed down by a thirteen year old assassin with no signs of any physical advantages whatsoever. The prospect of forming a team of teenage villains was laughable. Sure, every option he and the other two senior members of his so-called team would inevitably grow into their roles, had strong promise, but a team? It was bad enough that they were all teenagers and on the path of "the Light" but throw in superpowers? The upcoming year would be disasterous. And Savage would be watching every step of the way.

He couldn't run, no, Savage would find him. Couldn't exactly die, he was his father's offspring after all. No, all he could do was sit and wait in a cold, dark base and play with the other kids. Every aspect of his life would be dictated until the day he died. Pun so very intended.

In an effort to soothe himself Samuel headed toward the training room. There was no way he could fall asleep with those thoughts plaguing him and a complete lack of physical ache.

The doors slid open just as he sighed and whispered to himself, "I'm pathetic."

"I can't imagine why you would think such a thing."

Sam's head snapped up at the sound of a familiar voice echoing off the metallic and empty room. Ash stood alone, dressed only in a black tanktop and yoga pants. Her hair was pulled back into a high ponytail dampened by sweat. Beside her a punching bag, worn from use was being pulled back into the floor. Her knuckles, bare, flared angry and red.

Rolling his eyes Sam approached the girl and took both her hands in his. There was blood he hadn't noticed before. She'd been at it for a while, he realized, using nothing but her physical prowess and something that could be considered anxiety if it were anyone else. This wasn't the first time either.

"I've told you before to wear something on your hands," Sam said with a sigh. He released her and walked over to her duffle bag on the side. There was always a first aid kit in there, just in case Samuel and Kale got too rowdy.

"Samuel," Ash almost whispered his name. She was being oddly hesitant.

"Go wash up and I'll wrap those for you."

"Sam," she pleaded, clutching his coat from behind. "I need to ask you something."

The immortal regarded his ally for a moment. He knew she hadn't actually been pleading, wasn't feeling anxious. She couldn't feel any emotion after all. But at moments like this, when she seemed so small and timid, he could almost see her former self shining through. That spark always vanished as quickly as it came though. He knew what she was thinking; he could read her like a book, like no one else could, because they were each other's firsts and they'd shared so many secrets that no one else knew.

"It was that homo magi, wasn't it?" Sam asked. He felt oddly surprised that she nodded. There was a part of him that hoped that wasn't the case. "He reminds you of-"

"Yes," she breathed.

"What did you want to ask me?"

Ash, who was shorter than both of her friends, had to look up almost half a foot to meet Samuel's gaze. As usual her brown eyes were large and darker than they used to be, darker than they should be.

"Am I just overcompensating for what I lost?" she inquired. "Have I made a huge mistake?"

"Yes," Sam answered quickly. "And no."

Rubbing his temples he sat them both down on the matted floor. They sat across one another, Sam idly messing with his hair.

"You'd be fooling yourself if you thought the two subjects were unrelated, but I don't necessarily think it's a bad thing."

"Elaborate," she ordered despite not being the team leader.

"Yeah, you may have made your decision based on how much he reminds you of your dead brother," he noticed how she flinched, "but I don't think it will impede your judgment in the long run. Kure isn't Toby, and you get that. I know you do. He has a lot of potential and you're a triple threat."

The brunette arched a confused brow, something he hadn't seen her do in over three years.

"Trained body, trained mind, trained spirit," he listed off verbally and on his fingers. "Don't worry so much. You two will do fine."

"Why do you say that we two will be fine? Do you expect yourself and Kale to fail?" Sometimes Ash didn't know how to read the mood.

Sam stood from his spot, taking Ash with him and directed her to the door so she would go clean up and he didn't need to answer that question. She was silent to the door, the only sound her bare feet on the mat and Sam wrapping his fists.

"Samuel."

He spared the girl a glance.

"For what it's worth I do not, nor have I ever viewed you as anything less than an equal. You will do equally well with the assassin."

With that said Ash was gone, leaving Sam to stare after her. He couldn't think about the little obsidian at that moment though, he just needed to focus on punching the crap out of something and at that moment a fresh new punching bag was being released a few feet away from him.

* * *

Forty minutes later Ash had been walking back to the training room. She often showered longer than most to take proper care of her hair. Black Manta had always complimented her on it, ever since they met three years prior. Even now she liked to please him, or perhaps it was out of habit that she went to such great lengths.

When she entered she knew it would be empty. Sam had seemed drained so he was doubtless taking a shower. How she hated being alone.

She'd never admit it out loud but she'd missed the two boys she'd gotten to know since joining forces with Black Manta. It was for their benefit that she'd gotten the surgery after all, the one that made her void of any emotion. It was a necessity. If she'd allowed her fragile heart to rule her any longer she could have killed them, killed herself. The best way to contain it, according to T.O. Morrow, was to remove the source of her powers disorder: her human sentiment.

She agreed to the experiment because she cared about them, she needed to know she wouldn't hurt Kale again. He healed from the endeavor quicker than anticipated, but he could have- she could have-

Ash shook her head to clear the thoughts away. Kale was safe from her now and that was all that mattered. Black Manta was alive and well, Samuel was healthy as ever, forever. The people she cared about-use to care about-were well off.

During her night rounds Ash made sure nothing was out of place. When she came upon the kitchen though she found it lit from the overhead light. Kale, and a freshly showered Sam, stood at the counter.

"Surprise!" they both shouted.

There was a pause while the two males stared at her and Ash traded glances between the two of them.

"Mason," Samuel groaned.

"What, assface?"

"Where's the damn cake?"

"In the fridge, duh," Kale answered.

"You were supposed to be holding it so she could see it when she walked in, moron," Sam kicked his foot lightly.

"I thought you were doing that," was Kale's off handed response.

"Does it look like I have the cake?"

"Does it look like _I _have the damn thing?"

While those two argued for no real reason Ash made her way to the refrigerator, opened it and pulled out a square box. When she opened the lid she wasn't the least astounded to find a round dobash cake with electric blue frosting that spelled out _"Happy Birthday Tempy"_. The nickname was awful, something she'd despised since childhood, and they knew that. They did it on purpose every year.

"It's no longer the first," Ash cut in before they got too physical in her kitchen.

"So?" they said in unison.

"It may be a few hours later than planned," Kale began, pushing Sam out of his way.

Sam grabbed his rival by the back of his pants and pulled him behind him to say, "But we missed your birthday last year while you were training under Sensei. We weren't going to miss it this year."

"I was getting to that you jackass!" Kale flared up a bit. Literaly, his green flames erupted from his hairline.

"Thank you both," Ash said before they could continue. She hugged Kale, promptly putting out the inferno that was his hair, then moved to hug Sam, who returned it.

They sat at a small round table and ate the cake slowly, chatting while doing so.

"So, the assassin," Kale slurred in his slightly tipsy state. He'd been drinking from a brown bottle and was the only one who did so. "Hoping to learn a thing or two in stealth?"

"That's funny, _coming_ from the clown's mentor," Sam smirked. "Hoping to finally get a girlfriend half as crazy and as equally desperate as you?"

"Samuel, don't be vulgar," Ash scolded.

"Sorry mom."

"She's too young to be your mom you pedo," Kale argued. "You're like, a zillion fucking years older than her."

"Hardly," Sam scoffed. "Perhaps a few hundred years, I've lost count."

"Yet you still look as though you aren't a day over sixteen," Ash observed.

Sam looked into the reflective surface of his spoon. His hair had dried and lay on his shoulders. Nope, not a day older than sixteen. And he never would look older.

"Savage is under the impression I won't age physiology just halted when I was still a teenager and has been keeping me in that state."

"You're like Peter Pan, dude," Kale said after a while. When his companions looked at him oddly his jaw dropped. "You have got to be shitting me. I know you two live in the 1800's but come on! You don't know Peter Pan? What the fuck am I going to do with you two?"

Sam just shrugged and drawled, "oh do educate us, young master. Our minds are so very uncouth. You must teach us the way of your people."

"Shut up."

The two males laughed at themselves and sighed. It had been a long time since they had joked around, they usually just fought, which was also fun.

"It's late. We have an early day tomorrow," Ash pointed out while looking at her watch.

Kale grabbed her wrist and read the time out loud.

"Man," Sam face planted onto the table "now I'm _gonna_ be tired."

"Do you always hafta do that?" Kale asked.

"Do what?"

"Nevermind."

Sam's odd quirk always made him grin. He wondered how he never realized how he emphasized the wrong words at times. It was frikkin hilarious really.

* * *

When the trio finished cleaning up they headed to their rooms silently, their yawn the only sounds they made in the darkly lit halls.

"Goodnight," Ash said as a farewell.

"Yeah, night," Kale said before another yawn took him.

"Later," Sam nodded.

When they were far enough away from their female companion Kale struck up a topic that had been plaguing him for a while. He hadn't discussed it with anyone and had only recently become aware of the situation.

"So, that thing on her neck," Kale trailed off, his intention obvious.

"What about it," Sam's tone was weary. He knew something.

"What would happen if I burned that fucker off? Would she be better?"

Stopping in his tracks Sam turned to the brunette with a dark stare.

"If you burn that _fucker _up she could _die_. Only T.O. Morrow could have possibly been able to remove it but now his android has been destroyed and he's in a _coma_. Don't meddle in things you know nothing about, Mason, because if you do something that leads to hurting her I will not hesitate to _kill you_."

Sam stormed away having said his bit and abruptly cutting off the conversation.

Kale watched him walk away, didn't try to stop him. Something else was going on with that and the first thing that really clued him in was the fact that Sam had stressed the correct words for once.

* * *

**Ok so updates may be slower between now and Christmas because I have things to do and I'll be working on another story that will be very long, slow to do and updated slower than this story, but is a present for a friend of mine. So expect a dark Kuroshitsuji story on that day. As for this chapter, I was going to write their first training session together but decided not to, that will be next. This chapter is basically introducing everyone to the dynamics of the mentors, which is important… well at least it is to me. They've known each other for a while so their relationship is going to be very different from the ones the recruits will have together. That will make itself painstakingly obvious in chapter 8. **

**Also that line about Sam and Ash being each other's firsts, it's not what you think I swear. All will be revealed in time. So if anyone has any questions just ask me in a review I'll answer anything to the best of my ability in the next a/n without spoiling anything.**

**And I included timestamps. Been meaning to do that from the first story but forgot and didn't have a definitive timeline worked out. I'll be going back to edit all the mistakes I didn't catch before probably next week. I update my profile every so often so you can look there for info if you'd like. I've also started asking people about romantic interests so if I haven't asked anyone their preference yet then PM me. **

**Tomorrow the first BoF is going down. Goodnight all.**


	8. Maggots and Mentors

**Has everyone heard? YJ is back! I'm totally stoked! Is it lame to say stoked? Eh, what do I care I'm too psyched. Anyway, if anyone's missed it, BOF has a new story which will be just random short stories I think of for what I have now dubbed the "Felon!verse". Is that as lame as stoked? Well in any case, it was a Christmas present, as was a link on my profile to sketches I drew of the first six members with random little symbols. I'm going to do individual ones in my new sketchbook starting with A01. Who is that? Well read and find out.****Thanks to my dear friend FleetFeet for betaing this chapter.**

**If you'll notice the summary is slightly different for some odd reason. Hmm how strange ^w^**

**Chapter VIII: Maggots and Mentors**

**-00000-**

**GENESIS HQ  
JANUARY 2, 0643**

The "Tormenting Trio", as Gacy so affectionately called them in her head, was just the peachiest bunch to ever walk God's green earth. Her morning began with her new mentor of sorts waking her up oh so politely.

"GET UP MAGGOT! IF THE SUN'S UP THEN SO ARE YOU!" He yelled right into her ear. With a megaphone.

Where did he even get one of those? And why was it in the super secret villain headquarters? And what the hell was Gacy even doing there in the first place? She regretted her decision already.

"Get your lazy ass up or I'll burn it," Kale rephrased his statement, fists turned to flames.

Gacy had already fallen off of her bed, which was surprisingly comfortable, from his first bout of shouting, and was now flailing to get to her feet.

"Next time, you're up before I get in here, do you hear me!?"

"Y-yes," the blond choked out.

"I CAN'T HEAR YOU!"

"S-sir yes sir!" Gacy shouted back, her nerves completely shot.

"Clothes, now! Training room, five minutes!"

With that Kale departed, smirking a bit at himself. He'd always wanted to do that.

**-000-**

For once Gacy took half the time she was given to get dressed and made it to the training room in record a little under three minutes. Kale was there already, the boy she'd met the night before standing beside him. He was reading a thick book with odd letters the girl could not comprehend and she was totally blanking on his name.

"Faster than I thought," Kale said. He snapped his thumb and middle finger together to create a small flame from the friction. He lit the cigarette in his mouth and stretched his limbs.

"Are you going to do that every morning?" Gacy asked through her panting.

"Only the mornings I don't find you eating in the kitchen with the rest of us," Kale responded. They'd eaten. Without her. And she doubted he'd let her sneak away to grab even the teeniest weeniest of bites. His expression read _hell to the no_. "Great incentive, huh kid?"

She did not honor him with a response. The pyro just chuckled and blew green smoke her way before turning to the door and opening it. They were met with quite the impressive sight.

Ash and Sam had already begun their training. Their hand-to-hand combat looked intense but neither had a single bead of sweat. Sam threw a punch and brought it back to his body to block the oncoming assault he'd predicted. Despite the initial look of a wispy young girl Ash was perfectly poised, her hits landing on skin and the sound of the impacts echoing through the room. They were in perfect sync, Ash dodging while Sam tried to land a strike, Sam blocking every single jab. As if they were caught at a crossroads they both stepped back to observe one another. Sam adjusted the wrap on his hand and began to hop around like a boxer, hands held up in front of his face.

Kale mumbled something and rolled his eyes before coughing. He needed their attention and fuck if he didn't get it.

"There a problem?" Sam wondered aloud. He began to circle around his opponent, who mimicked the action gracefully and without the boxer hops.

"There was an intruder alert in sector six," he replied with a sigh.

Sam's head shot up and he looked to their direction. Ash took the opportunity to take her shot and knocked him square in the jaw, severing it.

Gacy and Kale winced, taking in a breath and whispering a sympathetic "dah-yum" in unison.

Kure let out a scoff and shook his head.

"I know we usually go all out," Kale stated, "but breaking his jaw? That's a new one."

"An example for everyone: never turn away from your opponent," Ash stated monotonously. "It could cost you."

They heard a loud snap followed by a sigh and much quieter bone cracking. Samuel's healing factor had kicked in.

"More like never turn your back on Ash: she'll sock it to you," Sam said. He fingered his jaw line, moving it around to make sure everything was back in place. "It's worse than the last time I saw you."

"That's what happens when one undergoes serious training for a year. Perhaps our time together in India will prove useful to you both," she replied. Now turning to her second teammate Ash directed her next question to Kale. "You said something about an intruder? Was it an animal?"

"No. Person."

He removed a remote from the pocket of his gray sweats and clicked a button. A holograph appeared between them showing a young girl in the desert above them. She was riding a camel and dressed in a thick brown cloak to shield her fair skin from the harsh sunlight.

"Ah, my girl's finally here," Sam said cheerfully.

Kale clicked the same white button and it disappeared. Sam and Ash bowed to one another out of respect and habit and he left the room, taking the cancer stick from Kale's mouth in the process and crushing it. When the pyro reeled on him, prepared to repeat the jaw breaking Ash had given him he was surprised to find a disapproving expression on his elder's face rather than a playful one.

"Just because I can't get lung cancer doesn't mean this lot can't as well," Sam motioned to the room of mortals and received an eye roll.

"Whatever, I get it," Kale grumbled. He hated being told what to do but causing cancer wasn't really his shtick either.

Kure walked away from those two, their individual scents putrid to his nose. He sat on a bare bench and continued to search through the ancient text Klarion had gifted him with. He could barely make out a word of it, its secrets locked behind old magic. He broke through its seals slowly, three words revealed to him only.

A shadow over him hid his words, halted his hardest efforts. When he looked up he found the blond and arched a brow. She only smiled back at him, gem-like eyes shimmering with humor.

"What do you want?" Kure groaned, his voice hitching somewhere in his words. He winced at his high voice.

"You didn't hear? Kale and Ash are gonna spar."

The clown spawn sat beside him, legs crossed and smiling all the while. He could feel her presence closing in on him, confused yet joyful at the same time. It was overbearing and he couldn't stand it, too sensitive to the auras of others. Kure stood and sat on a bench ten feet away. He didn't bother looking back at her. The hurt she felt rolled off of her in waves. _Rejected again._It suffocated him for a moment before someone else pierced through her fog of emotions.

Exhilaration. It was a much cleaner feeling, singular and strong and contained. Kure held onto it, used it to protect him from the clown and watched the great flames on Kale's body ignite. He chuckled and faced Ash, whose body was coated in a layer of white. Electricity generated from her core. The sight was rather intriguing. Two elemental based beings facing off, striking at one another with their entire bodies.

Gacy gasped at the show. Two bodies cast in electric white and blue and flaming green. Kale made comments that Gacy couldn't hear through the roaring of his flame. Her smile widened even more when their sparkling shells faded away and they became more physical. Only their hands remained glaring in color.

Both cast balls of energy at one another and dodged. They ran familiar circles around each other and got close enough to throw punches.

This fight was more like Ash and Sam's earlier brawl. Going blow for blow and anticipating one another's moves. Then Kale brought a new move out, something Ash hadn't expected. The moment she jumped toward him to take him down he ducked and tackled her torso. They fell to the ground, rolling around and flipping the other onto their backs for dominance.

"ALPHA-01. SAMUEL SAVAGE. BETA-01. MAXINE BABBOT."

The computer announced the arrival of Samuel and Maxine. They entered the room and stared at the scene playing out before them: Maxine with confusion and Samuel with unrelenting mirth. Oh the many jokes he could make. He finally decided to say something once Ash was on top, pinning Kale's wrists to the ground.

"You really shouldn't get off in front of a bunch of kids," Sam said with a chuckle. "At least get a room."

"A different room," Gacy chimed in oh so helpfully. Sam winked at her in approval and she clapped. Max hid a sly smile behind the brown hood.

Ash removed herself from the position she'd been in and helped her old friend up.

"Bunch of wise guys," he muttered under his breath.

"Alright, enough messing around," Sam clapped his hands together. "Time for some real training. Chaos, if you would be so kind."

"Gladly," he replied. Kale cleared his throat then and cracked his knuckles. A smirk graced his lips.

"Recruits, front and center," Ash commanded, voice full of authority. It would be hard for anyone to argue with her, Kure observed.

The three youngest of the team met up in the center of the room, Gacy bounced on the tips of her toes on the far right, Maxine stood with her arms behind her like a soldier at ease in the middle and Kure sneered on the far left with his arms crossed. Their new mentors stood opposite them, eyes meeting up. It was Kale who began speaking.

"What the hell do you think you lot are doing?"

The younger trio was confused. They were told to stand front and center.

"Ash said-"

"Ash said front and center. When anyone of us tells you front and center you move your asses quicker than that! Now drop and give me fifty!"

Gacy watched the other two obey the command and shrugged saying "how about I just give you fifty bucks, puddin?" she pulled a fifty out of her shirt and that sent her mentor off the handle.

Sam and Ash watched as Kale went off on the newbies. They wondered how he'd be with them, if he'd fall flat on his face or surprise them with being nurturing. As if. To say the least they were surprised with his tactics. In the end Sam had assumed the hot tempered youth would have burned them all alive in the first three minutes while Ash concocted the idea he would become a prison guard. Seeing as he had the "maggots" running laps Sam sighed and slipped his old friend a hundred dollar bill.

While they ran laps Kale eyed the exchange and rolled his eyes. After fifty laps, pushups and sit ups, each, he backed off and let Sam step up to the plate. Gacy had fallen onto her rump out of exhaustion while the assassin only breathed a bit heavier than before and the youngest of them was panting, hands on his knees for support.

"Stand," he ordered them. They complied. "Now, as you've witnessed, Chaos will be training you in general workouts and exercises. You'll begin in here every morning with a workout and end every evening with another. Each session will be half an hour. Breakfast is at sunrise. If you aren't up you don't eat. Lunch is at exactly one sharp ending in thirty minutes, dinner at six. After that you can do whatever you like. Your midday training will be run by me. I'm going to focus on your mind and bodies. First we will learn about our enemies as well as our so called allies. Then we'll be getting into your stamina and building your bodies up to peak performance. I will not tolerate failure in any subject, is that understood?"

"Sir yes sir!"

"Good," Sam smiled and stepped back. An action, Ash observed, that was much like his father.

Ash stepped forward now; eyes alight with the thunderous current running through her veins. She paced before them, taking them all in. Pausing before speaking she took a gun out of the holster strapped to her waist. Her thumb moved smoothly over the colt and she cocked and aimed it over her shoulder at Samuel's chest.

"Damn, I'm gonna look like Swiss cheese" the target muttered just before she let off the entire round, eight bullets all glowing the same color she was just moments ago, right into him.

"I have been called a lot of things in my career," she began, ignoring the moans pulled from the immortals body. "A weapons expert, deadeye, sharp shooter, assassin, marksmen-"

"A bitch," Sam grumbled while the last of the bullets fell to the floor in a bloody puddle. His wounds began to heal, but not his clothes. Ash simply reloaded the magazine and persevered through the rude remark.

"I have trained in the art of many weapons, conquered each style I could. While I prefer to handle things myself rather than rely on a foreign device, having the skills to wield anything around you will come in handy for all of you. Resourcefulness is a key trait in our line of work. So every week I will train you in a new weapon followed by a different fighting style. Your bodies will be tired, your minds worn, but the end will result will be satisfying."

Ash stood between the two male mentors, arms crossed over her chest.

"On rare occasions one of our superiors will drop by for less than twenty-four hours and assist you with your studies. For now this lesson is over," Ash continued.

"On Sundays you will be trained only by your mentor. Believe me when I say it's going to be the most relaxing day of your weekend." Sam smirked at the pained expression on Gacy's face after that bit of information

"Umm," Gacy raised her hand. When Sam nodded she continued. "Today is Sunday."

"Indeed. Today's training sessions will be short. We have other matters to attend to."

"So for now, Kure will come with me," Ash motioned for him to follow, which he did begrudgingly.

"Max and I will be off as well."

Then the second pair departed as well. The door closed behind them, leaving Kale and his partner alone.

"And then there were two," Kale mused. He led Gacy over to a second door on the opposite side of the room.

The seconds walking toward the room had Gacy believing she was going to be led into some crazy torture room. Not that she was against being in one; she just preferred not being on the receiving end of a torture device. She was pleasantly surprised when Kale opened the door to reveal another training room. This one was full of exercise machines, unlike the first one. Then her expression fell at the sudden realization.

"So, we're really gonna train? Right now?" she whined. Kale chuckled in response.

"As if, chica. We're cutting through this way."

Kale shook his head and continued in a straight path through the room, hopping over what got in his way. Gacy followed suit, glad to know she wasn't going to grind on her first day there. They exited the room and ended up in a hallway, metallic like all the others, and continued on through the well lit halls.

**-000-**

Kure's first assessment of his new tutor had been correct. Something inside her was empty. It didn't bother him. No, it left room for him to breathe. Being a homo magi of his standards had its faults. It opened his senses further which he won't admit aloud is a double edged sword, especially in the confines of Genesis.

The young Mage's suspicion arose the deeper into the base they went. It wasn't very large, only having one known floor, but with the long, winding hallways it sure seemed like it was. The walls were thick, full of warding spells, courtesy of a few different magic users, he could tell. Everyone had a different mark, a unique sent and signature, when casting. Kure could pick Klarion out of the bunch. He was flaming red, passion and power mixed with pleasure and purpose. So wild, untamed by human rule, like a true Lord of Chaos. Other magicians had touched the walls, not all of them were very effective though

Then it occurred to Kure he had no idea where they were. They just entered a room, about the size of a shipping crate, with only the one door they entered from and a box on the wall. When Ash opened it there was a single button: red. Curious.

When pushed the room began to shake. He felt a tingling sensation in his spine. They were going up. It took approximately four minutes, full of silence, before the metal box they were in stopped. When it did the door slid open and they stepped out of it, Ash leading the way.

Sunlight blinded Kure for a moment. It felt like ages since he'd seen a sun when in truth it had been less than twenty-four hours.

Blue eyes blinked away the harsh light and fluttered open once more. The desert, what Kure could make out, was almost completely barren aside from some plants he didn't recognize.

"You're free to leave if you'd like," Ash said suddenly. "You won't get another chance for a long time."

Kure gave her a scathing look. Was this all some test? A game to play with his mind?

**-000-**

Max was in for a different surprise. The girl had been into garages before, the Shadows having a particularly grand one, but this was somehow a different feeling. Their group-team-whatever it was- had an obviously smaller hangar. It felt more like hers though, she had no idea why.

There were three black jets, all different sizes, six black motorcycles all identical and equally stunning, a large gray van she assumed was for monitoring, three cars under sheets and two tunnels. One led upward toward the surface while the other went through the earth, probably an escape hatch.

Max ventured around for a while, cloak long forgotten at the door. She asked if she could uncover a car and Sam confirmed. The gray covering was removed and while Max was a hog girl she could definitely appreciate the sight of the black Chevy Impala.

"That's Kale's so feel free to wreck it," Sam said with a teasing chortle.

"Wouldn't he be angry?"

"Yes, which is what we want, " Sam dead panned. He leaned against another car and observed the girl. "You need to lighten up."

"Is that right?" Max sniffed. "What do you have in mind?"

"Joy ride?"

"Joy ride."

**-000-****  
**

Kale and Gacy made camp in the common room. It was homey with a matching set of furniture: all in the same shade of gray with small black and gray pillows was a love seat, two large and cushiony chairs and a camelback couch all around an oak coffee table. The rug under them was soft and vermillion with gold phoenixes and accents on them. there were other things in the room but instead of observing, Gacy just ran over to the couch and hopped on.

"So, poker?"

"Absolutely!" Gacy cheered.

He plopped onto the couch, taking an unopened deck of cards off the table. He shuffled, Gacy cutting, and dealt the cards. She won the first two games and Kale grew a bit annoyed. Losing sucks!

"So, can I ask you something?" Gacy asked suddenly. Kale nodded. "How did you know about me?"

"Light's files."

"Oh... One more question?"

"Yeah."

"Why didja come find me? You said files, musta been more than one of me. Or-well you know what I mean," she huffed.

"You seem nervous," Kale observed.

"You seem to be avoiding," Gacy shot back. Kale looked up at her over his cards.

"Your mouths almost as quick as mine."

"Still avoiding."

"Not avoiding. Just shuddup and lemme finish. Lex Luthor is my mentor."

"I still don't-"

"Shut it."

She remained silent and lost the hand.

"He's not really my mentor, more like my supplier I guess. I was trained by Killer Frost but she's a jailbird now. That bitch is crazy, straight up, but she was always a good mentor. Whipped me into shape, made sure I had full control over my flame and whatnot, even busted me outta juvvie. Thing is, I'm not really the nurturing type, I don't fancy taking orders or advice, don't really care much for giving it neither. I like to do my own thing my own way, KF always knew that, but she always took care of my crazy fine ass."

Gacy giggled into her cards. So she noticed, so what? It was a true statement.

"I visited her before she got transferred to Belle Reve. Asked her why the hell she decided to take care of me when she found me. She said it was because she saw something in me: a hint of herself that she found. Said she wanted to develop it, turn me into a right fine weapon of destruction." Kale looked at Gacy, his eyes darker than before. "Can't say I didn't think the same thing when I found you hidden in the bottom of a stack of vanilla loons."

Gacy hid a smile behind her cards.

_So this is what it feels like to be chosen._

**-000-**

Gazing off into the far reaches Kure contemplated his options. He could leave; find the remaining artifacts of Merlin like he planned. Then again he could stay cooped up under earth and steel. But if he remained in India...

"What reason have I to stay?" the young magi challenged the girl beside him.

Ash looked down at him thoughtfully and tilted her head to the side. She could answer him; she could try to get him to stay. But she wouldn't. Ash began to walk the ten feet back toward the cave the elevator was in.

"You already have a goal. You have to decide for yourself whether being here will help you reach that goal or not."

Kure thought hard on her words. Klarion would come after him if he left; to take his book back, to kill him. And then there were the rest of them. Ash would certainly assist him in reaching his potential, but that little clown's presence was so overwhelming. If anything he could use the chill around Ash to deflect her. Was it worth it?

She was waiting beside the door for his answer. Would he stay? Would he leave? He was as unpredictable as the other two men in the base.

He began walking back to the door as well. He remained silent when he stood in the center of the room. Ash took the hint and entered. Before the doors closed she saw a large cloud of sand and...

"Sam is going to be in so much pain tonight," Ash said with a sigh. She rubbed her temples and just shook her head as the earth swallowed her into its cold embrace.

**-00000-****Thank you lot for enduring that long pause. Holidays, family, friends, faulty Internet due to bad weather and work has prevented me from updating sooner.**

**This was actually going to be much longer but I decided to split it into two chapters. Next one is called **_**"The Name Game".**_**One more thing...****I would like to ask that everyone not ask me about updates so often. I really am doing the best I can but having my inbox spammed with demands is rather stressful. I don't work well under pressure, ask my high school English teacher. I'm not attacking anyone honestly. I love how you all love BoF, I adore every single person who reads this story and is part of it, but I need to be able to chill while I write and not worry about disappointing you guys, because that's what worries me most when I write about your characters.**


	9. Trial

**I apologize for how long it took me to get this chapter out. I think I wrote about 12 different drafts before settling on this version and it ended up **_**much**_** longer than I predicted. Please keep an open mind while reading this chapter; I've included something I've wanted to do since the first draft of BoF began that I will most probably(meaning definitely) do again. It it makes anyone uncomfortable then I wont hold it against anyone if you do not continue reading.  
Heh, I decided to post this during the day for a change instead of when everyone is asleep.  
And as always, enjoy. **

**-00000-**

**_Brood of Felony_**

**_Chapter IX: Procès_**

**VANCOUVER, CANDA  
"EPSILON"****  
****July 2, 2013 2156**

A blizzard kicked up just outside the seemingly old base the team had been relocated to. Their greeting hadn't exactly been welcoming, the oldest three of the group remained silent as Ash's mentor greeted them in full gear and guided them toward the large building before them. They'd arrived by helicopter just as the storm made itself present.

Inside was an arena of sorts, and there seemed to be nothing else to it aside from that. It was large and resembled a gladiator ring minus the lions. Or so they hoped. The stands were empty aside from a few very well known villains. The young trio hadn't been too worried at first but now, looking over the stands at some of the most intimidating figures known to earth, they felt themselves shiver and not just from the cold.

Black Manta took them each into three individual rooms starting by code number. Sam and Max took up residence in the first room, Kale and Gacy in the second and Ash and Kure in the third. Manta followed them in, shut and locked the door and removed his helmet.

Ash and Kure set their duffle bags onto the only piece of furniture; a table with two chairs pushed under, and removed their top layer of heavy clothing. They exchanged a glance before watching the dark male before them set a large suitcase on the table.

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Major," Black Manta greeted the young magi. His own protégé had kept in contact when she was able, usually confiding in him about her new responsibilities, Kure Major being one of them.

He remained silent in reply though, so Manta continued.

"As you both know this is your final test. After this your superiors will decide whether or not you are ready to join the fold. Are you prepared for what is to come?"

Both of the younger villains nodded. Black Manta smiled.

"I thought as much. In that case, Ash you are free to leave," Black Manta said dismissively. He opened the door for her like a gentleman and the other Alphas were now exiting their rooms looking equally confused as she felt.

"I don't understand," Ash admitted.

"You three are not needed for this portion of the exam. Down the hall through a red door you will be examined yourselves."

Ash nodded and saluted Manta before exiting. She turned and made a few motions with her hands that everyone understood through ASL, though Black Manta's back had already been turned. The door shut heavily before her.

"Worried?" Sam asked as they headed down the long hallway.

"Not possible," Ash sighed. She knew it was impossible but still, she rubbed her left arm with the opposite hand out of habit.

"Well I sure the hell am," Kale groaned. "You shoulda seen the little clown the moment she saw Luthor, shaking in her stylish yet affordable boots."

The trio stopped in their tracks. He knew it was coming. Both Sam and Ash stared at him as if he were a mental patient, though with his baggage he could have been.

"Damn you two, watch some American television once in a while instead of that weird foreign shit!"

"I do watch American television," Ash replied. Kale snorted.

"Something that isn't in black and white."

"I saw that Naruto thing with you," Sam thought aloud, rubbing his facial hair pensively.

"That doesn't count its anime! That shit belongs to the Japs!"

"They were speaking in English." Sam shrugged.

"This is pointless. What century are you from? Don't answer that - we're here."

They stood in front of the door, each thinking about what would come next when Sam chimed in, "we watched Full Metal Jacket yesterday."

"Yeah, that was a pretty good day."

With nothing else to say the Alphas entered through the door into untested waters.

-000-

Twenty minutes later Max, Gacy and Kure found one another in the hall. The young assassin found herself shivering after her discussion with Samuel's father. Something about him did not feel right. His eyes were dark, calculating, menacing. Sam had told her a great deal about him over the six months they'd been together, she returned the favor with her own life story eventually, but she hadn't quite believed everything until she was in the presence of L-1. Gazing upon him in real life was a lot different than seeing him in a picture. He stood tall and proud and seemed very capable of doing everything Sam had said with those large bare hands.

…**  
…..**

Afraid of messing up in training Max had pushed herself every night. It wasn't unusual for her; she was a bit of a perfectionist even before she'd met the team. Sam noticed from the beginning but the third week in was when he decided to step in. An exhausted recruit was not a happy recruit. Besides, Ash was already OCD, they didn't need a Devil Ray jr.

Max pulled the Flock 23 out of the holster on her leg and aimed at the target ring. Her vision blurred for just a moment and the three shots she let off missed the center by a long shot. With a heavy sigh she sat with her back against the glass wall.

Shaking his head Sam approached the younger girl and sat beside her. It was silent for a while before Sam began the conversation.

"Pushing yourself is a good thing, but not when you push yourself into an early grave."

Max thought on that for a while. She wasn't a reckless person, had always taken her training and missions seriously and always completed them in record time despite any hesitation she felt. For years it had been her duty to obey orders, no questions asked. She was an assassin through and through, and faithful to Sensei and the Shadows. When Ra's spoke she listened and followed through with whatever it was he asked her to do, though she was pretty sure he was talking to the other members of the Shadows about her behind her back. One of the reasons she was currently learning Arabic from Ash.

"I don't know how to do anything else," Max admitted aloud. She didn't trust very many people; actually there was no one she could think of at the moment at all. Sam was different though. From the beginning he was nothing but brutally honest so she had to do him one in turn. "Training has been my life. I have no other use than to be the weapon or the spy. I feel so overwhelmed, like I may just burst. What if I can't do what you're asking me to?"

A hand grasped her shoulder, strong and steady, the exact opposite of how Max felt.

"It's a learning process. The road we've chosen will be long and difficult but I think we'll pull through in the end," Sam sagely said. "But if there's one thing I know it's that pushing yourself far beyond what your body can handle is a death wish. I found that out first hand."

"What do you mean?" Max's curiosity had peaked.

"My father-Savage," he corrected himself. "Never let me rest. I had to do it perfectly the first time or break my back doing the same thing a million times until I had it down pat. Believe me, my back isn't the only thing I've broken."

"Are you serious?"

"Heh, I don't joke about that son of a bitch. Anyway, you want some cake? I'd quite enjoy a slice myself."

"Dude, _quite_? What century are you from?"

They both laughed in the blatantly obvious joke.

…**  
…..**

"Hey Maxiepie," Gacy whispered. She wasn't feeling very confident either. She took Max's hand in hers, intertwining their fingers. They fit together perfectly. Feeling the chill of her friend's hand Gacy leaned into her ear, close enough so Max could feel the heat on her breath as she softly said, "should I warm you up?"

Max giggled as a faint blush swept across her nose. Whether it was from the cold or the newly found heat was a mystery. Alright, it was definitely because of the warm body now clinging to her side and the way her stomach pleasantly tossed.

"Gacy, not in front of Kure," Max said weakly. Really, the blond was too cute for her own good.

"Please, I've seen you two do worse than hold hands," the magi shot back. "The clown wouldn't let my presence stop her anyway."

It was as close to a blessing as Kure would ever give and the girls took it as an open invitation. Gacy planted a gentle kiss on her girlfriend's lips. The action was intimate and welcomed by the cold assassin.

"You okay?" Max asked. She could tell by the light peck that something was wrong. "Luthor give you a hard time?"

"How'd you know?"Gacy asked. Her head traveled to Max's shoulder for comfort.

"My excellent skills of deduction, Jes."

Gacy giggled at the nickname.

…

….

The day before they'd brainstormed with new names. It was less of a discussion and more of an argument in the beginning.

"Chaos is a fucking great name and I'm keeping it!" Kale yelled. He was up in Sam's smug face.

"I still don't think it suits you. Something more along the lines of Captain Loudmouth or Stupid Prick sound much more accurate," Sam replied, smiling that foxy smile of his. It was his daily routine by now to fit annoying Kale into his schedule.

"Do you two always have to argue?" Max asked with a sigh as she walked into the common room with Gacy and Ash after their all-girl sleepover, Gacy's idea.

Gacy hopped onto the arm of the couch beside her mentor and took a bite of his waffle.

"Get your own food," he growled. Kale was not much of a morning person or a sharing person.

"Already done," Max chimed in, handing her the plate in her left hand.

"Aww! I have the best girlfriend ever!" she cheered and hopped onto the arm of the chair Max had claimed.

Kale shook his head and took a bite out of his sausage, frowning the entire time. Gacy noticed how Sam and Max shared a secret smile. She liked that they had all somehow found a way to accept the relationship the two girls had started. Ash sat between the older boys so they would refrain from arguing and shot her a comforting look. Gacy grinned at her. It was as close to a smile as Ash could manage with her condition and that was totally the bees knees that she tried. Ash was probably the most comfortable with the two of them. Gacy wondered briefly if Ash was… _Nah!_

Then she noticed the way everyone sat in silence for a while. Not an awkward silence but one full of comfort. It was odd to think such different personalities could come together and fit together like puzzle pieces. Of course there were moments they couldn't agree, like whever Kale and Sam just looked at one another, but they could manage.

_This team will totally work.__  
_  
"So you were discussing a change of names?" Ash started the conversation. She took a delicate bite out of her vanilla yogurt. The team had their quirks and preferences. Gacy had learned that Ash was a health nut. She didn't count calories or anything so drastic, but she only ate until she was satisfied, never more, and she mostly ate fruits, veggies, and meat with the fat cut off and never fried. Needless to say she ate separate meals from everyone else, though she was open to possibilities. Bad call on her part since they often found it entertaining to give her odd foreign delicacies they would never touch.

"It would be a good idea to input official code names into the database. I don't very much care for hearing _that_name when I get on base. It would be safer as well," Sam reasoned.

"Agreed," Max said with a nod.

"And this asshole decided I need to change my name," Kale scoffed.

"I think Chaos suits Kale just fine," Ash said softly.

"Fine, but if we're still calling him Chaos then you're getting a change," Sam bargained.

"Oh yes!" Gacy agreed.

"Is there something wrong with my name?" Ash wondered aloud.

"Devil Ray is boring! Besides it doesn't fit you. You aren't a manta ray thing-"

"Sting ray," Max corrected.

"Yeah that, thanks doll face," Gacy happily gave her girl a kiss on the cheek. "Like I was sayin', you need somethin' cooler. Cause you're a cool chick. You need an awesome name that suits you, but has flare-"

"Haywire," Kure suggested as he walked into the room. He walked to the table that stood against the rainbow paint splattered wall, courtesy of Gacy, and made himself a sandwich.

Gacy wondered how they ate so well when no one was allowed to leave base for the six month duration of their stay but figured the older villains who often came by supplied them. Or there was a huge freezer hidden somewhere she didn't know about.

"Haywire?" Gacy and Max said in unison, gazing at one another. They pondered that for a moment while Kure sat on the ground at the low table, far away enough so no one would be able to lean over and reach him.

"I kind of like that," Sam mumbled. "It's rather fitting. And it has a nice ring to it."

"No arguments here," Gacy nodded.

"None here," Max agreed.

"So?" Sam moved in closer and eyed the brunette. She shrugged and looked into Kale's eyes. He flinched but couldn't look away.

"What do you think?" she asked.

"Does it matter?" Kale muttered.

"Yes. Your opinion is very important to me," Ash persisted.

"Then it's fine," Kale answered quickly.

_So not gay._

"Then that's settled. Moving on. Gacy?"

"No thanks, Sammy. I like Jester just fine."

"I like Jes too," Max nudged the blonde.

"Filthy," Kure whispered loud enough for them to hear. A week ago they would have thought it to be a slur, but Ash explained that he didn't appreciate PDA of any sort and their relationship had nothing to do with it. Both girls only shrugged.

"Max?" Kale asked this time. "To change or not to change?"

"Well, in the Shadows I didn't get to choose my name. Sensei gave it to me. I was thinking recently that I've outgrown Shade. I think I'll retire the name."

"So what now?" Gacy asked as she set her plate on the table and sat in her lap.

"I think Scorcher over there already named me."

"Have I?" Sam was as confused as the rest.

"The first day we met, you said I was like Obsidian. I kind of liked that."

"Obsidian it is then," Ash said. "Kure?"

"I'm fine."

"Really?" Gacy said with a slight sneer. "You're gonna use your real name forever?"

"That isn't my real name, and before you ask my true name is none of your business."

"I suppose it's settled then," Sam said, closing the discussion before they moved onto the topic of movies to watch. Because hey, even villains deserved a day off.

…**  
…..**

"Hey, there they are!" Gacy ran ahead of the other two and stopped as Ash exited through the red door last, closing it shut behind her. She rubbed her shoulder and held a pained expression. "Ashy, you okay?"

"Not exactly," she replied. She pulled her jacket open to reveal the bandage.

"We underwent our own tests," Sam explained with a shiver. "Ash is not a fan of needles. Especially ones that can fit more than one grain of rice at the same time through the syringe."

"Yowch," Gacy winced and drew closer to the older female. "Is it really painful?"

"Nothing I can't handle."

"Your turn to head in now," Sam informed the young trio though he didn't seem too pleased with the idea of sending them in.

The Betas headed into the room and were met with an even more terrifying site than their mentors' mentors.

"Hello children," Professor Ivo greeted them while standing beside a gurney and a rolling table with medical tools atop them. "Let's begin the physical."

…**  
…..**

"Are you really alright, Temp?" Kale asked for the twelfth time.

"You don't need to fuss over me, Kale. I've been through worse," Ash answered trying to assure him as best she could. She moved closer to Sam, who wrapped his arm around her back. He must know how pissed Kale would be. What was worse was Ash let him keep his arm there and had swatted him away like a fly.

_Fuck.__  
_  
"In any case, doesn't it seem like we're being tested as well? I was under the impression that our recruits would be the only ones undergoing scrutiny," Ash observed as they descended a flight of stairs.

"It is rather strange, I'll admit. But when it comes to the Light I don't think we should be surprised."

"For once I agree," Kale said with a groan. "The fuck is going on here?"

Too annoyed to take it he pulled a cigarette out of his back pocket and lit it with his thumb. Ash began walking ahead of him causing him to frown deeper. Something had been eating him for a while. Those two were hiding something. They had always been friendly; they were each other's immediate backup after all and had depended on one another long before Kale came into the picture. He thought their relationship was odd from the beginning but recently they seemed to become closer while edging him out. There were secrets he didn't know and it fucking bothered him to no end.

**…  
…..**

Kale found himself wandering the halls of Genesis after most everyone had gone to bed. He despised the quiet, the night. Being out in the bustling streets of a city at noon on a sunny day was how he liked to spend his time. The pyrokinetic would much rather be on land above the base, where civilization and sun were instead of being surrounded by cold metal. It was unsettling to wake up to nothing but the cold and kids and-

"Ash?" Kale called into a room lit with holographic computer screens. She didn't turn to him but acknowledged him with a wave over her shoulder. Kale inched into the dark room. "What are you doing up?"

"I could ask you the same," Ash answered. Her hands pulled media files out of screens and expanded them to view. When she finished she sorted them into columns with similar videos and images; images of kids their age, younger, even older. In Gotham, New York, South America, Ireland, France, Italy; there were a ton more locations but those were the only ones Kale recognized right away. Every column was labeled with a name and location. Some of them appeared less than human.

"Are you recruiting?"

"No."

There was a moment of silence between them. Since her surgery Ash had become a much better liar.

"Are you lying to me?"

"No."

Now Kale was frustrated. He was frustrated and cold and required answers.

"Ash," he warned in a grunt. That got her to stop and give him a look of emptiness. He'd expected as much.

"I am not recruiting. I promise."

"Then why are you looking at all of this at midnight?" Kale was adamant about getting an answer.

"I'm saving them for future reference. In six months time we will be free to travel wherever we like. If we all live through the next six months unscathed I wonder if we'll stay together."

Ash's hands resumed their previous actions.

"So you want a bunch of kids around so you don't get lonely?" he asked, genuinely unsure of her motives.

"Hardly. You'll always be there to bother me," Ash said. It was a comment she would have made had she been her old self. One moment the real Ash would slip through, the haywire girl whose powers were charged by her erratic emotions. The next she'd be this foreign, cold young woman he didn't recognize.

"Yeah." Kale shifted uncomfortably. "So are you ever going to answer my question?"

"Yes."

He waited. A minute went by, two. The third ticked by and he was fed up. "Oh my Lucifer, what the hell is all this about?"

A chuckle at the doorway Kale had come through alerted him to the bastard standing there.

"Ahh, you. Shoulda known you were behind this."

"Relax, hothead. I asked Ash to start building up these folders for me," Sam began to explain. He stopped at Ash's side, took another file with his middle finger and flicked it up behind Kale. It was their opposing team, the junior JL they had been assembled to counter. They had been filed into two groups: **"Original Team"** and **"Current Team"**. "As you can see there are a fair few more than they began with. If we are to gain any advantage then for now it will be in numbers. Their team has had more time to train together, learn from each other. While the three of us are able to synchronize the young members of our newfound team cannot. It is highly unlikely that they will be able to even after the six months we have together in seclusion. This must all be kept secret, Kale. I don't need Luthor, much less my father discovering my intentions."

"Contrary to popular belief, that bald fucker doesn't own me. I'm not telling him a god damn thing," Kale said angrily before walking out. "Even if I wanted to tell him anything I don't get what the hell you guys are planning anyway."

…**  
…..**

Ivo's assistant pulled his glove off with a loud snap as he escorted the Betas to the door. The wry smile on his face sent shivers up Max's spine and she was glad for the physical contact between herself and Gacy. She probably felt the anxiety rolling off of her in waves. The young medic had been somewhat gentle with them but Ivo's prodding had rubbed them the wrong way, quite literally. The assistant though, he spoke as if he knew something they didn't and had confused them with his doubletalk.

Once the kids had left Ivo smirked at his much taller assistant and went about placing the blood samples he'd taken from all six youngsters into the appropriate slots of a machine that scanned for any form of infection. He knew for a fact that Savage's kid would be scot free of any kind of plague but there was no harm in a being cautious, nor was there any harm in experimenting with the sample.

"So…" Ivo trailed off, his tone and expression expectant.

"So what," his assistant for the day said with a sigh. He truly was not in the mood for Ivo's mind games.

"Come now, tell me you aren't having more fun here than at that dreadful circus you've been with all this time," Ivo's voice sounded so very sure. Really, Fred shouldn't crush his spirits but…

"Fine. I'm not having more fun here than at that dreadful circus. And for the record, it's a carnival not a circus."

"There's a difference?"

Fred frowned at the scientist and ruffled his own hair for a moment. _How to proceed?_

"Listen, I won't go back on my word. Neither will Savage. After today you can go back to that circ-carnival, with a clean record. You won't have to change your name or appearance. No more running and hiding," Ivo declared. He held up his fist and pulled out his index and middle finger. "Scout's honor."

"Tch," Fred scoffed. "Like you're a scout."

He sighed and began cleaning the equipment in silence. Ivo waited until they'd finished before speaking again.

"There's nothing left for you there, you know. You're talents are wasted," he informed the young man.

"Nor is there anything for me here. Our deal was I help you and you clear my name, remember? I don't want to end up on the other side of the law again. That isn't what my – that isn't what I want. You are the one who approached me, so I expect you to hold up your end of the bargain."

And then he was gone, slamming the door behind him. Fred sighed and removed his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose. It had been a long three weeks in the service of thieves and killers and he was oh so tired of mindlessly participating in whatever he was instructed to do.

He'd been taken from his home – well as much of a home as it could be – and his job. He wouldn't be going home to anyone in particular, though everyone had been very kind while he was there doing his work. They'd even protected him from foreign law enforcement. It was a good place full of good people. Well, perhaps that wasn't all true, but he simply ignored what he didn't care for.

Fred bumped into something - someone – and apologized. He hadn't been paying attention to his surroundings, content with aimlessly traveling the maze that was the Epsilon facility. When he looked up he came face to face with the girl he'd drawn blood from earlier.

"Oh, hello there. Temperance was it?" he asked, plastering the false smile he usually reserved for children who approached his booth.

"Ash."

"Right, Ash."

"Hey, back off freak," a rough voice growled, pulling his attention away from the young woman. It was the brunette male who'd almost seared his skin off. _Mason_. He pulled Ash away by her belt loop.

"It's fine, Kale. I'm sure it was an accident," Ash calmly brushed the boy away. She held out the glasses he hadn't realized he'd dropped and offered a nod. "Please watch where you step in the future. We wouldn't want you walking straight into a hot tempered pyrokinetic now would we?"

Fred laughed a real laugh and nodded. Truth be told he recognized her from his carnival. She was much younger back then, as was Fred, but his memory served him well. Now he felt bad for allowing Ivo to administer the mysterious silver liquid into her shoulder. The older scientist had been oddly pleased at the pain he dealt.

As his own form of a peace offering he leaned in close for only Ash to hear and placed an arm on her shoulder, the one ailing her. Kale probably would have attacked had she not held her hand up to stop him.

"Since you and I will probably never meet again I'd like to offer you a bit of advice." Kale tried to inch forward to listen. "Don't eat yellow snow."

Removing his hand Fred retreated down the hallway, continuing his personal tour of the building.

"Well that was rather odd," Kale grumbled.

Ash nodded and held her shoulder, habit. When she began removing her black hooded sweater Kale asked what in the world she was doing since it was freezing. Stripping the sweater off and discarding it onto the ground Ash ripped at the bandages and removed the medical tape over the cotton used to absorb her excess blood. She was told it would continue leaking for a while.

"Kale, look." The creamy skin of Ash's shoulder was clear of any wound. No blood could be found on the cotton and she felt no pain.

"What…"

Both teens turned to look down the hall but their medic had already disappeared around a corner. All that remained was the faint echoing of his whistling _'Am I Blue.'_

-000-

Sam, who had been in conference with a few of the Light's head members calmly walked out of the briefing room, or so it was labeled. He cracked his neck once, shook his head from the cramp and allowed the sneer to show on his face, finally.

"What happened? You look like you just ate a pile of shit," Kale taunted as he and Ash followed him down the hallway.

"That's because I did," he replied hostilely. He slammed a door open, seeming to know his way around the building's many levels and rooms. The three Alphas walked up the large flight of stairs in silence until they reached the roof. Sam kicked a pile of snow childishly and began to pace. "If they don't pass they don't get to live."

Kale, who was perfectly ready to have a quipping war, let the smirk fade from his face. He looked over at Ash who mirrored him in the action.

"They can't do that."

"Oh yes, Kale, they can. Those bastards can do anything they want and we won't be able to stop them. We can't even watch their final test, which let me tell you is based on their physical prowess and will be against Spotsmaster!"

"What? They're letting those kids go up against the Crusher?"

"Not letting," Ash cut in. "Ordering."

Silence fell over them while the snow fell around them. The blizzard raged on but they could take it. No one could hear them during the storm was Sam's reason for bringing them out there.

"This is so fucked up," Kale whispered. "Whose idea was it?"

Sam turned to him, slowly as the wind swept his hair out of his face.

"Who else? My father's."

"Usually I'd try to remain optimistic, but our recruits are screwed," Ash shook her head. She couldn't even look up at her team, none of them could. They all just lowered their heads and prayed to their respectful deities that they would somehow be alright.

-000-

Gacy, being the oldest, was up first. She shook from the chill of the air and the fear she felt staring death in the masked face. Sportsmaster stood behind a table of weapons.

"Clown," he greeted. Usually Gacy wouldn't mind, but since their first meeting she'd come to hate the man standing before her. Clown wasn't a title to him, it was a slur.

"Jason." Gacy's expression made it clear how she felt about him. He only laughed and gestured to the table of weaponry.

Swords, daggers, pistols, extendable poles, a meteor hammer and other various weapons covered the metallic surface. With a scoff Gacy shed her human mask for another. A smile spread across her lips, twisted and ready for the oncoming attack she predicted would come. She may not have the green and purple Jester suit, but as long as she kept on smile-smile-smiling Gacy – Jester – could manage. Lucky enough she and MAx had received a black suit, like Ash's, to hold what she needed for the fight. She was prepared. The past six months wouldn't be for nothing.

Sportsmaster approached, taking a pair of glocks from the table and meeting Jester in the center of the arena. Gacy spotted the eyes watching her in the stands, none of which were her three teachers, and felt a crack in her armor.

_No. Don't do that. You can beat this fossil. There's a reason they aren't here, so just do what you came here to do and find them after._

"Begin," Savage commanded from his seat.

Gunshots echoed in the room, missing Jester by mere inches as she swiftly flipped out of the way in a seemingly random manner. _You're smart. Don't blindly dodge. Make it so that you know where you'll land but your opponent won't._ Kale's voice ordered her.

She zigged and zagged out of the bullets way, carefully getting closer to her opponent. All she was required to do was land one hit before the timer went off. She'd used four of her five minutes dodging devising her plan. _Now or never._ Reaching into the pocket of her utility belt Jester pulled out a metallic pole, already extending. At the end it filled out into the large hammer it was.

"Come on, sucker!" Jester taunted. Sportsmaster had been backing up in long strides but Jester was faster, she had to be faster. She ducked under his final shot, kicked one gun out of his hand and arched the large hammer up, barely catching the mask Sportsmaster wore and ripping it from his face.

The buzzer went off. Jester panted, her grin fading as she realized she hadn't laid a single blow on him. _No… No no no no no!_

"That's enough for today, Jester. Please send in Obsidian on your way out," Luthor dismissed.

She had failed. She wasn't Jester, she wasn't even Gacy. Not after that. She was just a failure.

Slowly she made her way to the back of the arena, where Kure and Max awaited her return.

"Jes, how'd you do?" Max asked as Gacy walked in. She noticed how her head hung low and the blank expression on her paled face. "Gacy?"

"They want you out there," was all she said in response before sitting on a bench and pulling her knees to her chest.

"Gacy I-"

"Hurry."

"I-okay. Don't do anything to make it worse," Max told Kure.

"Whatever." It wasn't as if she was wrong.

-000-

When Max walked out she felt less confident than before. She was sure Gacy would have passed; the girl was a damn lioness. Now, standing in front of one of her previous mentors in the Shadows and the current enforcer for the Light, her legs began to tremble.

_Stay calm._

"Long time no see, Babbot."

"Crock."

He held his hand out to the weapons and Obsidian nodded, taking the throwing knives. They were sleek and black with a short red ribbon tied at the end. "This will do."

Both villains made their way to the center of the ring. Her trained eyes took in her surroundings. The men in the stands, the red light of a camera pointed at the arena and a white mask that looked very beat up on the ground. She wondered what in the world could have possibly happened to have dented it. She knew how difficult it was to mar the mask first hand. With a gulp she realized it must have been Gacy.

"_We'll pull through this, Maxie. Bet you'll get the highest grade," _Gacy had laughed. She couldn't disappoint her already despondent girl.

With a newfound resolve Max took a defensive stance, signaling that she was ready. The knives were strapped to her legs. She was prepared.

"Begin."

Savage's voice echoed.

One moment they were standing still, holding their weapons and the next they launched themselves from their spots. Sportsmaster held his saber at his side, probably smirking behind his extra mask. He began his assault on the younger assassin, slashing mercilessly at her. Max dodged and used the flimsy kunai as a defensive weapon. It wasn't doing her much good, three breaking in her hands. The saber struck her hand, eliciting a shriek muffled by sucking in her bottom lip. She wouldn't give the bastard the satisfaction.

"What's wrong, little assassin? Scared?"

Max scoffed and back flipped out of his reach. There were seventeen blades left and three minutes. She took in a deep breath as she and Sportsmaster circled one another slowly, cautiously. Max wasn't good with confrontation, she knew. It's why she'd become a spy and a hacker. Staying in the background was what she'd done since she was a child. Sure, she often rose to Cheshire's taunts and they had competitions for who was Sensei's number one girl, but she'd never been put in the spotlight. Not like this. She was supposed to be a shadow, hiding in the dark of night and using her ability to become nothing but mist to her advantage to sneak by anyone. Now she was limited.

_I'm limited._

Then another painful shout burst from her lips. She wasn't focused. Sportsmaster had claimed a long slice on her side and the blood seeped out profusely.

"Damn," Max whispered. She clutched onto the wound and stepped away.

"You won't be landing a hit like that, little assassin. How will you face your little clown girlfriend like this?"

And that was the final straw.

Inhaling once more Max took a blade between each of her fingers and one in her mouth. Armed to the teeth Max raced at Sportsmaster, much like Jester had done, but instead of hitting him from the front she slid between his legs when he stabbed at her and left himself wide open for the onslaught of flying daggers Max threw at him while upside down in the air.

Max landed crouched just before the buzzer rang, her back to Sportsmaster. When she turned to face him she smirked in triumph. He'd dodged most of her projectiles but two hit. One in his left shoulder, just shy of the metal plates on his arm and the other lodged itself in his leg.

Obsidian was dismissed by Luthor.

-000-

"So what will we do?" Ash asked after a long period of silence. "If even one should fail I will not let them be terminated, no matter who they are."

"Agreed," Sam mumbled into his fist.

"Fuck them all. They force us into this position and only give us six months? Those expectations are way too high."

"Kale," Ash murmured, something clicking in her mind.

"Look I know you're gonna tell me that my cussing is unnecessary or whatever but I don't give a damn! Those dumb kids are our responsibility or whatever and I don't like when my shit gets taken from me!"

Sam and Ash watched him rant and pace, amused by the level of passion he had. He'd been so enraptured with his monologue that he hadn't noticed himself being set on fire. The green flames burned brightly, melting the flakes of snow that dare fall onto him.

"Kale!" Ash shouted over the storm.

"Huh?"

"I only wanted to tell you that something you said made sense."

"What did? I kinda forgot what I was saying."

"You _only_ started _talking_ like three minutes _ago_. I get it though, the expectations," Sam chided, shaking his head.

Before they could get into yet another argument Ash doubled over, clawing at her chest.

"Temp?" she heard Kale's voice somewhere in the back of her head and grabbed at that too. There was pain, something beyond physical that she hadn't felt in ages. An ache so raw, throbbing in her chest, crawling just beneath her skin. It wasn't real, wasn't hers, because this was the kind of pain she was scientifically prevented from feeling. Someone was invading her skull, piercing into her heart, swimming in her veins. Ash's body went limp and twitched dangerously on the snow covered ground. Somehow during her haze of confusion she'd been moved to the medical facility. The outrageously deafening sound of her own heart beating in her ears finally began to fade, the odd tightness in her chest dying down.

"How-"

"Your friends brought you here," Fred's voice cut through the daze, smooth like silk. The darkness enclosing in on Ash's vision began to dissipate. "Your adrenaline level was abnormally high. It was rather surprising."

Ash let herself revel in the warmth of the thick blanket draped over her body and sighed. She couldn't tell him the truth. No one could know. Ash remained silent for a while and closed her eyes. Inhaling the aroma of incense calmed her greatly.

"Do you like it? It's peppermint." He was attempting small talk with a false grin. Unsettling.

"I could tell."

Fred continued to type away on a keyboard in the dimly lit room.

"You aren't going to tell me why your body felt the need to put itself in a tonic-clonic seizure, are you?" Ash opened her eyes to quirk a brow at the older teen. "You had a non-epileptic seizure. A very violent one. You aren't epileptic are you?"

Ash shook her head in response.

"I believe you. And your health seems to have returned. I suppose I'll release you seeing as the Legion of Doom are about to announce the results of the final examination." Fred shook his head at his own joke.

Fred blinked behind his glasses as the girl he'd been treating ripped the blood pressure catheter from her arm and raced out of the room, stealing the covers as she ran. The oval lenses on his face hid his azure eyes. They caught the reflection of light from the computer he'd been working at as he turned in his swiveling chair to the open door.

"Well, I was going to offer these herbs for the pain…" Fred trailed off, annoyance heavy in his tone. He turned back to the computer and continued inputting his data.

-000-

The halls felt too long and winding, the stairs too steep and numerous. Memories that didn't belong invaded the electrokinetic's head.

A plane crash she thought she'd forgotten long ago, Sportsmaster striking her shoulder with a long pole, then her face and torso. Ash rubbed her right cheek at the pain blooming there. She was dizzy again and held herself up with the wall. Lost in thoughts that didn't belong to her Ash hadn't noticed the man sneaking up behind her. Usually she could feel his imposing presence quite easily as he had a very powerful aura but her thoughts were too muddled. When a clawed hand reached out and took her shoulder Ash barely noticed.

"Looks like the kid did a number on you," Klarion chuckled. He pulled Ash to himself and she grunted when her back hit his chest. Her skin felt hypersensitive.

"Klarion," the voice finally registered. "What are you doing here?"

"Shh," the Lord of Chaos eased the girl's trouble. He trailed her jugular with a black nail sending shivers up her spine. He placed a hand over her eyes and relished in her vulnerable state. "My my we are a lost one. Don't worry; I'll make it all better."

With a crackling sound, much like her electricity, and a bright red light, the haze began to lift.

"You understand what that was now, don't you?" Ash nodded, her eyes still shielded. "Good. Then you know not to tell a soul, otherwise you'll both be in danger. I've fixed that too, so don't worry."

"Why are you helping me?" Ash pushed away from the much older magic user but didn't dare face him. She knew well enough the expression he held.

"What can I say? I'm not done playing with him yet. Now come along, we have business to attend to."

Klarion took Ash's hand and hooked it in the crook of his arm, playing the gentleman out of spite and for his own genuine enjoyment. They entered a door leading to the stands and walked down the long staircase until Kale and Sam came into view.

"You'd better make sure to keep up your end of the bargain," Klarion whispered into her ear. Ash shivered. "I know what lies you keep."

Then he was gone from her side. When she looked up he was with Luthor and the others and her Alpha team made a beeline for her. They began questioning her but she kept them at bay, answering that her body was unable to handle the cold but she hadn't known. A horrible lie really.

The trio was called to sit at their mentors sides. Both Savages sat above the others, who descended by their code number. Sportsmaster escorted the three recruits into the room, all who seemed pretty down trot and dinged up pretty bad while Sportsmaster was the poster child for good health.

"So no one landed a hit on Sportsmaster?" Sam asked cordially. His father chuckled like he knew a dark secret, which of course he knew a million. Then he leaned over to whisper something to his son.

"We used an interesting species of medic to heal Sportsmaster after your pupil dealt with him."

_My pupil?_

Sam observed silently after that, how Gacy's eyes were downcast, Maxine seemed worried for her, glancing over to the blond every few seconds, and the violent bruise visible on Kure's cheek even from his distance. When the chatting had settled everyone held their breath in wait for Savage, Luthor and Sportmaster's silent communication via head nods and shrugs. When Savage stood he cleared his throat.

"After much thought we have decided the recruits whose Beta status will be promoted to Alpha…" Vandal held his hand up to the large screen over head as it lit up.

"Always one for theatrics," Sam sighed.

The screen went black and revealed three pictures with names: Obsidian, Jester and Major.

Loud beeps and dings alerted them to just how annoying the older members of the Light were and how very into the games they played they were. A green circle appeared around Max's image. She and her mentor both sighed in relief. The examination was tougher for them than anyone would know. Next Jester was given the green as well, which would have had her cheering her little heart out had Kale not signaled her in ASL to remain calm.

Kure clenched his jaw, the pain in his cheek reminding him just how human he truly was. Every muscle ached and not in a good way. He'd taken his shots, had been able to hit the blond more than once, three times in fact. So why-why the hell was he the only one with a bright red X over his id?

**-00000-**

–**stabs self- Sorry, I'm not very good at writing action. And the confusion you most likely experienced will be dealt with in the future.**

**Hmm, I read this over once so it may not be perfect, but I did notice that I put more references to other fandoms/fiction than I thought. I guess Kale has become my reference whore and Ash and Sam are Captain America?**

**Next chapter will be very intense. Hopefully I can capture what I imagine in my head. Honestly everything will be happening much faster than I originally planned but its fine because I need to move the story along.**


	10. Prelude to Disaster

**This chapter is dialogue heavy, much more so than any other and introduces an ability I sort of just… made up I suppose. I mean, it might exist in some kind of literature but I haven't heard of it. I forgot that the "intense chapter" was supposed to go after this one. Sorry.**

**Once again thank you FleetFeet for betaing. Enjoy.**

**-00000-**

**_Brood of Felony  
_Chapter X: prélude au désastre**

Two days passed by in a haze. The two newly appointed Alphas were off on their first official missions with their mentors-previous mentors. Scorcher and Obsidian were sent to escort cargo to Tibet under Luthor's orders while Chaos and Jester's goal was to find and extract a certain piece of technology from a certain penitentiary for Ivo. In that time Ash and Kure were put on a temporary leave of absence and relocated. They had no way to reach their team. Former Team. While the team was away they'd been allowed into their former base in order to collect their belongings and leave in peace.

**PARIS, FRANCE  
JULY 4, 0530**

In a small flat, modestly furnished with furniture of silver and blue, Ash lay on a couch. Her body was sluggish from the flight and riddled with tension. She squirmed on the couch, trying to get comfortable with no success. Truthfully she only wanted to sleep. For once she did not want to deal with her problems and just leave it to another day. Another month perhaps.

The sound of a key in the door lock alerted Ash to her incoming company. She thought he wouldn't return.

Kure strode in just as Ash turned her gaze back to the white ceiling. She noticed how he smelled faintly of bread and coffee beans. Kure placed a cup and a small pastry bag on the glass coffee table and took a seat on an armchair. He kicked off his slippers and proceeded to eat a croissant and take generous gulps of his iced water. When he finished he sighed heavily, crossed his arms and glared daggers at his former mentor.

"Stop," Ash ordered. There was almost no force behind her words.

"You are no longer my mentor. Now you are just a sixteen year old girl with no authority.

Sighing Ash turned her dangerously glowing eyes to the nine year-old boy. He was still angry with her for not fighting harder. For not fighting for him. Because people have always fought against Kure, but they never fight for him. For Kure's sake. Ever.

"This's all your fault anyway." Damn his lisp was showing. He could work through the stupid defect. The moronic speech impediment. It was minor but he was so angry. He could never avoid it when all he saw was red, but he had to. "You should have trained me better. All those Sundays you spent teaching me useless skills like ASL and meditation could have been put to better use educating me in the body's pressure points or how to hold my own against that beast!"

He managed without another incident but it left him breathless and panting. The look he received made him flinch. Kure never saw a speck of emotion in the girl's eyes. He assumed the darkness inside her was a constant. But in that moment he could see how she pitied him. It was blatantly obvious. And when she spoke there was disappointment. He didn't want to hear that tone ever again.

"After two days of wallowing you still don't see what you did wrong?" That tone, so unlike what he'd become accustomed to. Where was the capacity to feel coming from?

"I did nothing wrong," Kure countered. He felt the need to defend himself stronger than ever before. "I hit him. More than those two-"

"You weren't trying to hit Sportsmaster, Kure." Ash sighed and sat up, her body protesting. "You lost control."

Kure huffed and continued to glare, now at the table. Since he was acting like a child Ash would rightfully treat him so.

"When Vandal Savage gives you an order, when any of your superiors gives you an order, you are to follow it. Perfectly. Flawlessly. We aren't given the luxury of a second chance in the field. Your instructions were to land a single blow, not to annihilate the Enforcer with your magic. The test was based solely on your physical ability and how you did under pressure. Nothing more."

Ash stood and walked to the bay window. They had a perfect view of the Eiffel Tower but not even the fresh air and scenery could ease the sharp pain on the back of her neck or the tightening in her chest.

"So then why aren't I dead?" Kure asked under his breath.

"What? Why would you ask such a thing?" Ash turned to face him with furrowed brows.

"Didn't you tell me that failure means termination or something to that effect?"

"No. No I didn't." the sound of Ash's light footsteps made Kure look up at her. She sat on the couch, the side closest to him. "I discussed the subject with Samuel and Kale but we decided not to tell you, any of you. When I was called in to see Savage after the matches were over he told me even that information was a test to determine how we would react to the news."

The magi narrowed his eyes and licked his lips nervously. Snow flashed before his eyes, like it did in his fight, but he ignored it. He was more curious as to how the heck he knew something he wasn't told.

"When we were talking, Samuel, Kale and I, something happened to me. I gained memories that didn't belong to me." Ashe rubbed her cheek. It looked fine but the way it felt mirrored the dark bruise on Kure's. "I saw Sportsmaster attacking me and I defended myself. But he broke through my defenses. He struck me three times. In the arena in Canada. It was during your fight wasn't it? Why were you projecting? To me?"

"Projecting?" Kure stood from his seat and paced the cold tiled floor. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"How best to explain this?" Ash paused and fingered the hem of her shirt. "I've read that it's a skill not many Magi have. It works like telepathy in a way but is more complicated. Instead of sharing thoughts the user shares a piece of himself. Whether it be a memory or an emotion. Perhaps it would be more accurate to compare projecting to empathy."

"So what you're trying to say is that I've tapped into this _skill_ without realizing it?" Ash nodded. "Not possible."

"It is possible. And very dangerous." Retreating to her room Ash riffled through one of her six large boxes labeled _Books_ and found what she was looking for: a small, black, leather bound book with symbols on it pertaining to the art of witchcraft. When she came out she was already reading through it, her eyes moving quickly but carefully over the words. "Projection is similar to what Klarion does with Teekl, _Binding_. He uses her as a lifeline to this world because he cannot exist here without a tether. Their souls are bound together."

"And what, exactly, does that have to do with me?" Kure asked. He sat on the arm of the couch once Ash nestled into her seat once more to peek at the old hand scribbled text and couldn't understand a word of it.

Blinking, Ash leaned back in her seat subtly so he could see well. "It has everything to do with you." Her brain began connecting things together. What she concluded was not something she cared for.

"No one can understand Klarion…"

"The first true words you've uttered all day."

Ash turned a disapproving eye on the boy but continued. She wasn't sure if she should tell him but it was against her nature to lie.

"What I mean is Klarion is a Lord of Chaos. There are only a few left and Klarion is one of the youngest. He doesn't like them though, refuses to be around them if he can help it. That's why he is often on Earth, where he can cause the most damage."

"And you just so happen to know all this because?"

"Klarion isn't a very secretive person, Kure. In case you haven't realized he is quite chatty. He thinks he's charming."

Kure scoffs and points out "He isn't a person at all. Nor is he charming in the least bit."

"Don't be so sure. Klarion use to be a person, in his own way. He's as much a victim as anyone on our team. Given the chance, Klarion may have even become a Lord of Order." Ash finished with a wave of her hand. "But that isn't what I wanted to tell you. I think Klarion may be aiming for you to become a Lord of Chaos."

There was deafening silence then, for a long time. Kure couldn't register what in the world possessed the girl to say such a thing. Kure, a Lord of Chaos? Inconceivable. Although, the title could come with perks…

"If he offers this to you I advise you do not take the deal. Klarion is a cruel creature and would have your soul," Ash warned.

"What happened to 'he's a victim'?"

"He is a victim. He is also twisted and heartless because of his misfortune." Ash sighed heavily. She felt so very tired, physically and emotionally. That was not the way she wanted their conversation to go but she should have known better. Of course he would consider becoming chaos personified, with his rep sheet he was a Lord of Chaos in the making. Then a thought struck her. Sure it was a long shot but it was worth a try.

"If you become a Lord of Chaos you know you can never remain on this realm again. Not without a Draaga, a familiar. As far as we know I am the only one you are able to connect with. Would you really want to be bound by me for the remainder of your life?" Ash almost smirked when the boy shuddered in revulsion. Not a very flattering reaction but she'd take it. Kure, with all his built up rage and lingering umbrage, would only breed disaster for the world as a Lord of Chaos.

"So…" Kure fiddled with a couch cushion awkwardly. Before he could stop himself he asked "can you really read all that?"

"Yes."

"How? Are you a magi on top of everything else? Because if you are I may have to find a new practice."

"Hardly," she replied, amused. "You don't have to have magic in your nature in order to understand how it works."

"Because you're just so perfect," Kure sneered.

"I'm hardly perfect, Kure. When I was recruited by Ocean Master and placed in Black Manta's care I was nothing more than an average human. The night my ability made itself present I almost killed an entire room of nurses and surgeons who were trying to remove a bullet from my chest. Believe me when I say I have never perceived myself as perfect."

After that she maneuvered herself so that she was lying on her side, knees tucked in to her body because she was too tall for the couch and Kure was on the armrest her feet usually rest on.

Dark eyes, blue like a raging ocean before the storm, watched her carefully. Kure's mind worked a mile a minute, stringing together all that she told him, what he already knew. He connected some things together, lingered on what he couldn't comprehend just yet. Then there was a pregnant pause where his mind went blank. Her eyes traced the text carefully, trying not to miss anything. She has an air about her that she can just feel. Haywire-because he isn't comfortable with using anyone's "true name" just yet- isn't belittling him. Despite her disappointment in him she is seriously looking into whatever it is she thinks is happening. So perhaps she is a prat, but she is an earnest prat. And that in itself is a nice change of pace.

_Projecting_, she'd said. He never heard the concept before. how could she know so much about his nature when all his life Kure had spent honing his skills. Then he knew where to put his focus.

"_Etativel, koob fo cigam, dna emoc o tem_," Kure chanted. Klarion's ancient grimmoire flew from his bed in the other room and landed in his lap. It flipped open to his marked spot 2/7 of the way into its pages. Nowhere near the end.

Inadequacy. Jealousy. Hatred.

They washed over him and flooded his senses until all he saw was a sea of red and green. He opened his mouth to snap something at _Haywire_but-

"Your resentment and fear echoes loudest. Do you know that?"

"Wxcuse me?" Kure began grinding his teeth.

"Inside of me-or I suppose inside of you." Her eyes are hard but still concentrating. "There are other emotions of course, mostly anger, but even that isn't as strong.

""I don't know what you're insinuating but I don't believe I'll care for it." His response is a dangerous challenge, but Ash does not take it which he is grateful for. He learned quickly in the first few weeks of his stay in India that their ragtag gang was easily swayed by such trivial things. The other four accepted any challenge. They were insufferable children and Kure was so glad to be rid of them. _Immaturity is such an ugly fault_, or so he was taught.

Its been sitting for a while but Ash took up her foam cup and sipped at the tepid liquid. She seemed alright with it and continued to drink after every few pages.

Ash reads slowly, so as not to miss anything. She doesn't want to feel the tug of hated and rage any longer. Three years ago, when she hurt someone she cared for, she refused to let her untamed emotions control her any longer. Since she was unable to restrain her heart she did the next best thing she could think of behind everyone's back. In order to become the soldier who could stand by her master's side, the girl who would never harm her friends, the child more mature than anyone knew, she underwent an experimental surgery at the hands of T.O. Morrow.

A chip was wired into her brain. It surfaced on the back of her neck, round and metallic, harmless in appearance, and penetrated her skin. Like a snake it coiled around her spine and sank its poisonous fangs into her brain until every ounce of emotion had been numbed. Erased.

There were times she reacted like she would before her implant. It made her think the probe was defective at first but after time she realized it was instinct taking over. She didn't feel the same, didn't even remember what it was she did feel. Everything was in black and white. The people she use to love, the landscape she use to admire, even Hawaii was nothing more than pure habit.

But Ash has been content for the past three years. All the pain is gone. She never inflicted pain against the people she wanted to protect. It's turned off. She doesn't need to hurt herself. She doesn't need to hurt him.

He isn't there though, so she has to focus. Finally, after reading through most of the book she found what she was looking for and sits up with her back against the opposite armrest.

"_Projecting: An extraordinary occurrence that joins two souls. This is a rare gift among those who practice the old religion. When a magi projects their soul seeks a kindred spirit in times of need in order to begin a cleansing process. In many cases projecting has resulted in the sharing of memories and can become dangerous to both parties if not attended to properly. It is rumored that Merlin was able to project to anyone he wanted._"

"You're only repeating yourself." Kure had been listening intently, especially to the Merlin bit. "Does it say anything about a cure?"

Ash sighed, not for the first time because of him. Since their souls linked, even after Klarion cut their binding, Ash felt odd palpitations in her chest. At that moment it occurred once more.

"Kure." Her voice is soft, almost pleading. "This isn't an illness or a disease. It's a gift."

"It's a weakness. I don't need to _share_anything with anyone. The only thing I want is to be rid of it."

Ash shook her head at him. She's been doing that a lot in his presence.

"It doesn't say much but there is a way to suppress it. It isn't permanent though. We can do it tomorrow." When she sensed Kure about to protest she interrupted him. "The ritual is long and we both need some rest."

Kure stayed silent, carefully planning the many ways to kill the brunette while she set her cold chocolate on the table beside her book and just curled up on the couch. The young Magi rolled his eyes and just continued translating the foreign symbols on his much larger book. Whenever he sits down to this he automatically remembers when Haywire and Obsidian thought learning a foreign language would be a great idea. Kure assumed, wrongly, that his ASL lessons would get him out of it but no, he had to learn to speak it, to read it. And it was a confusing language. So many symbols. Katakana, fine. Hiragana, whatever. But then they tried to teach him kanji and all the combinations. Needless to say he set the flashcards on fire with the assistance of an all too excited Scorcher and Chaos.

Haywire had already been breathing evenly for a while before Kure pulled his nose out of his book long enough to notice. He was amazed she was sleeping so soundly less than a foot away from a potential threat and chalked it up to pure stupidity. Then again she hadn't slept since the long sleep-in the morning of the "Impending Lame-O Test Thing" as Jester had so gracefully dubbed it. He thinks he understands why she's so tired. A little.

He was almost halfway through half of his book and the wall clock read 12 a.m. The thought of how little he's done deters him and makes him feel exhausted. He sets his book to the side and begins stretching. He can hear the satisfying cracks and leans back against the sofa.

When his eyes close unfamiliar memories surface. He saw them once, during his fight with Sportsmaster. The beast.

A chubby faced boy with curly brown hair smiled sadly while waving farewell. In a ballet studio a dark haired girl stretched on a balance beam while humming a mellow tune. A preteen boy took his hand on the beach. And _eww_ because even he can recognize the pyromaniac in his younger years.

Haywire's memories filled his mind. Kure shudders. He feels nothing when he sees them. There is no joy, no nostalgia, no want. There is only emptiness and a dark hole and-

A phone ringing. A default ringer. Annoying.

Being a Magi, a lazy and tired Magi, Kure recites another levitation spell to summon the cell to his hand. It is Haywire's: a solid black flip phone. The caller ID says_Unknown_.

Kure, not giving a flying flip, taps the volume button on the side to silence the ringing. He figured he could use a nap as well and settled himself into the chair he previously occupied. It molded to his small body perfectly and he may or may not have had the delusion that it was made for him by an expert chairsmith. He knows it isn't a word but doesn't care. _Too tired to care_.

The phone alerts him to a voicemail only three seconds before ringing once more. Kure curses, as well as a nine year-old can, and rejects the call in order to permanently silence it for the remainder of the day.

That helped and the last thing he remembers is a flash. _Unknown_is trying to dissuade him from slumber but Sandman will not allow that and he's asleep in a matter of seconds.

-000-

When Kure finally woke up it was due to the sound of Haywire's hushed voice in the dark cover of night.

"Kale calm down, I can't understand you," she said. Or at least he thinks that's what she said in his half-conscious haze stupor. "Wait. Just slow-" And then she's silent.

There is noise and movement in the streets of Paris but in their apartment Kure can feel the shift in the air, the hum against his skin. Something's gone awry. His eyes finally adjust to the dark and he can see Haywire rushing around the living room, grabbing a bag, her boots and both their jackets and helmets while still holding the phone. His mind wont focus and all he can hear is overwhelming silence. Then three words, just three.

_Team… Need… Help…_

Before either of them knows they've been driving on Ash's motorcycle, way over the speed limit, for at least twenty minutes.

The brief conversation plays over and over in Ash's head. There was static and Kale was out of breath from running.

"_We need you guys. Fuck their rules! The team is in trouble, Temp. We need you. Sam needs your help. Please. Meet me at the Jardin. Be there. Just this once don't let them control your every move. You owe them nothing."_

It isn't true. She owes a lot to the Light. She owes them her life, but Ash knows better. Her loyalty will always be to her friends-her team.

Their team.

**-00000-**

**So now I have to update a chapter on my AO3 and start my valentine's week project for my waifu and I'll be busy for the rest of the weekend so expect a later update rather than sooner. I will be working very hard on it once I can though, to make it just right because like I said, it is intense.**

**Thanks everyone who keeps reviewing and PMing I appreciate your feedback like you wouldn't believe.**


	11. The Rent in Hell Gets Paid in Advance

**Just so we are all clear, these next couple chapters have been hell to write. Emotionally. And I'm dealing with my own… dilemmas…  
But I really should have gotten this out sooner.**

**-00000-**

**INDIAN OCEAN  
JULY 3, 2300 BT**

"Come on, 'Sid, how long does it take to wash out some dye?" Sam knocks impatiently on the door to Obsidian's washroom.

"Calm the hell down, Scor," Max shoots back as she opens the door, hair still damp.

Sam smiles crookedly at the slight change. As a present to herself for "passing the bar", they joked, Max decided to dye a chunk of her bangs red. It fits her much better than her mop of jet black. And Gacy would definitely love the change.

Max had come out of her shell in the six months they spent together. While Sam knows that totaling Kale's car had been a good start to bring about her mischievous streak he also knows full well that Gacy is the real reason she's become so comfortable. True Max still keeps a lot to herself but she has a steady relationship with her girlfriend, mentor, and peers-sans Kure.

"Well stop staring. How does it look?" Max interrupts Sam's only positive train of thought from the past two days.

"It looks dreadful. You must remove it immediately," Sam teases. He ruffles her hair a bit and strays from his spot to sit on her bed. With his game face now set he begins to concentrate on their objective.

_Reach the dock in the Bay of Bengal. From thereanother team will arrive to retrieve the cargo. You have three days._

Upon their ship are nineteen people. There is Max, who is leading the mission as a test, Sam, their "cargo", and sixteen crewmen/soldiers, all who work for Luthor. Between Luthor and Savage, Sam and Kale decided to swap missions in order to refrain from dealing with their _handlers_.

The ship they're on is small enough to not be too inconspicuous, but large enough to hold the pod down below along with all the equipment for containing a teen hero and keeping him hibernating. Speedy is one level below them in a Cadmus containment pod. Sam had read in the files about the Roy Harper clone now known as Red Arrow. Cloning was one aspect of the Light he always stayed away from. Even Superboy was cloned from Superman. Spliced, really. Unnatural. Nature has a certain order and he wouldn't be the one to disturb that order.

Sam can feel the tapping on his brow and looks up at Max who seems worried. Interrupted once more.

"So I was thinking," moving on apparently, "I'll patrol the deck while you circle the hold. We'll place guards on each level. I know it's highly improbable that anything will happen, but I think we should still be cautious."

"No, I get it. I was thinking the same thing."

Max smirks a bit while towel-drying her hair. Jokes and teasing ensue. They discuss Gacy and Max's feelings; possibly the most she's opened up to him about anything. Sam confides that the past few years have been hell but it's better to feel like shit than nothing at all. Ash and Kure come up. Sam assures Max that they'll be alright and hands her the letter Ash snuck into his room. Relieved, Max checks her watch and concludes they need to get to work.

Like the proper gentleman he is, Sam escorts Max to the deck. Mostly because the ship is unbearably stuffy and he wants to take in a breath of fresh air before retreating into the hold. Both halt as a chill runs down their spines. Something is seriously wrong. It is too quiet. They can sense a thick tension in the air. Now that they're focused they notice a deafening lack of armored footsteps.

It takes a few seconds of swift sign language before they have a set plan. Max will shift into her shade form, monitor the deck, and report back. Their comms. don't work while Max is vaporized so returning is the only way for them to communicate. Something about transforming throws it off and renders anything on her person totally useless.

After she slips through the cracks Sam lingers a few feet from the door, removing a switchblade from his boot and listening intently to the rocking ship. He cracks his neck and gets to his knees in order to watch for shadows passing by the door.

There's shuffling, speaking muffled by the door, and an explosion.

Sam feels a force hit him, pinning him to the ground. His vision begins fading, darkness creeping into his sight. Before he passes out he hears a low, raspy chuckle from a woman and a harsh, high-pitched screaming. It all sounds so familiar and significant. But it's too late and he slips into unconsciousness.

When Sam wakes it is due to his name being called. At first it's a voice he hasn't heard for over a century. Her name escapes him but he remembers a smile as his name is whispered in a comforting tone.

"_Samuel… Darling… Samuel… Sam…"_

She never called him Sam before.

"_Sam… please…"_

Slowly Sam wakes, the feeling of urgency gripping his heart. He's supposed to be doing… something. Something important.

"Sam…"

"M-Max…" he manages to moan while rubbing his aching head.

"Help… It hurts…"

Sam throws the door off himself, rolls onto his front and pushes himself off the ground. He can smell oil and smoke. Someone let set off a bomb aboard the vessel. Burned flesh and hair meets his nose as well and he blanches at the awful stench.

"S-sam…" The voice is small now.

Sam looks down the hall, a few feet ahead, and his eyes go wide. Bile threatens to escape him as his brain shuts down and everything inside feels like its melting. Max is lying helpless, her green eyes-eye half-lidded and bloodshot. Most of her body is charred, areas like her right shoulder and hands showing muscle tissue. Most of her black body suit is gone and there isn't even blood, not that there's any puncture wound visible. If she had been injured beforehand it was singed close.

"Max…" Sam manages to whimper. "Who..? What..?"

"Cheshire. She's still here," her voice is weak. "It hurts."

"I-I don't know what to-" Sam shakes his head. He can take the pain away, at least for a little while. First, he flicks a red button on his watch to alert the base, typing in Morse code that shits hit the fan and to get Ash. Then he finds the knife he dropped in the explosion, cuts a long opening down his forearm and holds it over Max's mangled body. "Stay still. I know it's revolting but you need to stay put. Help will be on the way soon."

"Che… shire… Get… her…"

"Anything you want, Obsidian."

Sam refuses to let a single other emotion pass over his face while his wound heals and he drapes his tailed coat over his protégé.

Everything passes by in quick, colorful flashes. There is red everywhere. Blood, so much blood. Green is the color Cheshire dons. Someone else accompanies her dressed in red and black. So much emotion, too much emotion, has festered inside Sam like a pit. It all erupts in that moment. He lets loose a feral cry and allows his body to move of its own accord. It's two against one but his brain is in such a muddled state there is no deterring him.

Sam cowers inside. Death isn't a new occurrence. Death is older than he is, older than Vandal and Ra's. Death is as old as life itself.

Death is old as dirt. Yet it feels so new.

The arrows pierce him, but it feels more akin to silk brushing his skin.

Since when.

Since when had he been able to turn it off?

Its liberating, not being in control. And oh, does Samuel Savage enjoy the thought of not fighting for his life anymore. Not fighting for his father's pride or favor. Not fighting for anyone.

But he is fighting. And for what? To protect the cargo? No. No. No.

There is something much greater than appeasing Luthor running through his mind. It is her. Its Max and her barely healed burns. The scars she'll carry when she recovers. If she recovers. Sam's blood is healing but it hit the air first, less effective, and he hadn't given her much. There'd been no time before she ordered him to go after Cheshire and her partner.

Why is Cheshire even aboard?

_Damn it!_

Sam's brain snaps back in control and he takes Cheshire's wrists in a painful grip, squeezing until she drops her Sais. He knows she will use her feet and gets her on the ground, straddling her pack and pinning her in place with his knife to her throat.

Red Arrow is at the controls, looking worse for wear, and has stopped looking for commands in order to aim an arrow at Sam's forehead. It is quite a distance between them but Arrow could nick him, if Sam weren't faster than the average human.

"Who are you?" Red Arrow demands.

"Oh, so you two have never met?" Cheshire is positively grinning beneath the mask and they both know it. "Scorcher, meet Red. Red, this is Savage's son."

"Savage?" Red's brows draw into a frustrated line.

Samuel is sick of the pleasantries and makes a shallow cut along Cheshire's neck, slicing the fabric as well. Red Arrow draws his bow string tighter, prepared to fire if his enemy makes any other sudden movement.

"Let her go," the archer demands. As if he had any leverage to bargain with.

"You drew blood first. It is only right that I return the favor, don't you think Jade?" Sam's voice is much calmer than he thought it could be given the circumstance and he slices another wound open and she gasps shallowly at the pain. One knows was already there, a scar he gave her long ago. He knows Cheshire's body very well.

Red looks hesitant and his fingers twitch against his arrow.

"You should have thought about that before cloning me, freak!" He released the arrow.

Sam rolled his eyes and shifted his head to the right, just out of its breadth.

"You're grabbing at straws, mate. I was nowhere near the cloning facility. In fact, I absolutely abhor the lot of you. So why don't you just stand there and shut the hell up while I get to business, yeah buddy?

"Now, tell me, Jade, why Max? You're fantastic with stealth. Could have gotten the drop on her and knocked her out without having even seen you. So why!?" Sam slams Cheshire's face as hard into the floor as he can, fracturing the mask into pieces. A pool, albeit small, of blood is gathering.

"Have you forgotten, Sam? We're villains. Its in our nature and our job description to kill. This is a cruel world and I'm simply living in it. Oh, and I just can't stand how the little twit," Cheshire chuckles.

Before Sam can rip her throat out a hissing catches their attention, followed by a heavy, white fog. The chambers been opened. It isn't quite what everyone's expecting though.

Instead of the thin, undernourished frame and flaming red hair of the original Roy Harper there is a muscular teenager with black hair in a black suite. A bright red "S" is emblazoned on his chest and his mouth is set in an indifferent line. Another Superman clone, much like the one the sidekicks freed.

"What is this?" Clone Roy gaps. He looks at the red "13" labeling the pod and seals it up again. "Damn it!"

"So you burned an innocent girl alive for this? For nothing?" Sam's fingers entangle within Jade's thick mane and mercilessly haul her up from the ground. He holds her close, uses her as a shield with one arm around her neck and the other holding her torso. His knife dangerously glints in the life, shining silver and red. Now within whispering distance he sighs lowly into Cheshire's ear, "I hope you brought your wallet, cause the rent in hell gets paid in advance!"

"Stop!"

Sam's knife stops just short of Cheshire's heart. His yes, red with fury and the need for vengeance, look up at the archer. Everything is blurring but he has to hold on a while longer.

"Your lover makes a passionate plea," Sam hums, taunting. "I doubt there is anything either of you could say to make my resolve crumble."

"Kassidy and Scandal," Cheshire whispers sensually, her hands stroking the arm wrapped around her thin waist. "I know where they are."

"Don't lie to me Jade. Do I look to be in a gaming mood?"

"I'm not lying. I know where they've both been hiding. Scandal and I, you see we are very good friends." The claws on Cheshire's gauntlets threaten his skin. "If you release me, perhaps I'll tell you."

"I-"

Sam gasps as his response is cut off. His neck, bare as a newborn baby, has been invaded by a tranq dart.

"C'mon Chesh, we have to get out of here." It's the clone's voice.

"Whatever you say. Just one more thing."

A hard, swift kick greets Sam's face.

Cheshire bends down low and purrs, "better luck next time."

Then everything is fading to white. His nose is already healing, he can feel that. And their footsteps are getting quieter.

But Sam has to stay awake. He has to. Because Max is.

What is she?

Is she dead yet? Will she die before he wakes?

The ocean seems so calm against the ship. He wishes for a while he could lazily just sink into the ocean and never resurface until the drug takes him.

**-00000-**

**Yeah uhh, you'll notice my writing style changed. I kind of didn't realize it. Kind of came naturally. If you guys prefer I could switch back without any hassle.**

**Did not beta because I was rushing to finally get this out to you guys. So sorry for that.  
And also I got a twitter account, just for this story because I feel really bad for not being in touch with everyone. I warn you, it's also gonna be full of random crap. And spoilers. Small spoilers.**

**Hope you enjoyed yourself… Or not cause BoF isn't usually. Well. This.**


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